- Kobbie Mainoo signs new contract with Manchester United
- English midfielder now tied to club until 2031
- Ruben Amorim failed to realise he is the face of the Reds
Kobbie Mainoo has finally ended months of speculation over his future and penned a new long-term deal with Manchester United. Uncertainty had grown over the English midfielder due to a lack of game time under former head coach Ruben Amorim.
The 21-year-old pushed to leave on loan last summer and Napoli were keen on taking him to Naples. But the club turned down this request and it seemed as though he’d be handed an important role in Amorim’s team.
That wasn’t the case as Mainoo didn’t make a single start under the Portuguese coach in the Premier League at the start of the season. The first time he was named in a starting XI was in the humiliating defeat to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.
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Mainoo Signs New Deal
The club have announced that Mainoo has signed a new contract, keeping him tied Old Trafford until 2031. The player himself has explained his decision and made clear he’s living his dream at the Theatre of Dreams:
“Manchester United has always been my home; this special club means everything to my family. I have grown up seeing the impact that our club has on our city, and I relish the responsibility that comes with wearing this shirt.”
He added:
“From The Cliff, to Littleton Road, to Carrington and ultimately Old Trafford, the journey so far has been incredible. I have the privilege of living my dream every single day, with the same relentless desire to succeed here as when I joined my first training session at the age of six.”
United’s caption on X for the official statement on Mainoo’s new deal reads:
“Kobbie Mainoo, forever United.”
But that certainly didn’t look like a possibility at the start of the year. His future with the United and hopes of heading to the World Cup with England were truly doubtful.
Amorim repeatedly downplayed suggestions of an issue with the player, insisting he had a plan for the United academy graduate. But each passing week of his tumultuous reign, the England international didn’t get an opportunity.
Ridiculous Ruben
If Amorim were still in charge, there’s every chance Mainoo would have been headed for the exit door this summer. His lack of minutes jeopardised his World Cup dream, and it wasn’t until his sacking that the situation changed.
Michael Carrick arrived as his replacement and immediately recalled Mainoo to the starting lineup. It reaped rewards as the Reds have been a far better unit in the middle of the park, and it’s allowed Bruno Fernandes to operate in his preferred attacking midfield role.
Amorim made a host of blunders during his ill-fated 14 months in the Old Trafford dugout. But his handling of Mainoo sticks out as the most ridiculous one, holding back a generational talent and for no good reason.
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