Manchester United's rising star requests loan departure, revealed Rangnick willing to sell for £45 million! Youth academy flaws exposed again

According to "The Athletic" transfer expert David Ornstein, 20-year-old Manchester United academy player Kobbie Mainoo has informed the club that he wishes to leave on loan before the summer window closes to secure regular first-team football. This season, under Amad Diallo's manager Amolin, he has been sidelined, spending full 90 minutes on the bench in two Premier League matches.

Mainoo told Manchester United executives in a Thursday meeting that although he has no intention of severing ties with the club he has been with since childhood, he feels his chances to stay are slim. Therefore, he is prepared to temporarily leave Old Trafford to gain consistent playing time, especially ahead of next summer’s World Cup.

However, Manchester United made it clear to Mainoo that they would not approve a loan deal; if he leaves, it would have to be a permanent transfer. The management emphasized their commitment to homegrown talents and expressed hope that Mainoo would stay and fight for his place.

Over a year ago, Manchester United fans fondly recalled seeing Ganacho, Hojlund, and Kobbie Mainoo sitting together on the advertising boards, believing they were the three pillars to lead the team’s revival. However, this summer, two of them have essentially been confirmed to leave, and the last remaining hope — Mainoo — has become the subject of transfer rumors at the final moments of the window.

After last Sunday’s Premier League match at Carrington Farm, the midfielder, who had sat gloomily behind coach Ruben Amolin throughout the game, finally got to enter the pitch. Expressionless, he crouched on the ground. This was not just because the team lost 0-1, but also because he had not played a single second in two consecutive league matches. Later, when boarding the Manchester United team bus, he still looked downcast.

No English media leaks are needed to know that 20-year-old Mainoo is disappointed with his current situation. What made things worse was that in his first appearance during midweek, Manchester United was eliminated in a penalty shootout by League Two side Grimsby. With only the Premier League left before the FA Cup starts in January next year, Mainoo’s opportunities to play have become even scarcer.

But this is not a particularly new situation. In fact, since Mainoo returned from injury last December, his position and chances in Amolin’s 3-4-3 formation have been questioned repeatedly without any solution found.

Therefore, before the transfer window closes next Monday, rumors of Mainoo possibly leaving have spread widely. "The Athletic" revealed that he has privately discussed this with Manchester United teammates. Although playing for the Red Devils has been his lifelong dream, reality forces him to consider leaving. Meanwhile, Manchester United no longer considers him unsellable; if it weren't for concerns about fan backlash from selling both Ganacho and Mainoo simultaneously, they would have sold him long ago.

It is said that the club had plans to sell Mainoo at a suitable price as early as January. Officially, Manchester United stated they are not actively selling Mainoo and that the coaching staff is satisfied with him. However, like most current United players, Mainoo has critical flaws. People hope he stays to fulfill his potential, but if he leaves, it won’t be the end of the world.

Manchester United currently lacks a midfielder who can provide solid defensive stability and decent passing ability, such as Carlos Baleba, who is priced at £120 million by Brighton and thus unattainable. Selling Mainoo could give the club more funds to pursue targets like Baleba and Adam Walton.

As for Mainoo, Amolin sees him as a competitor to captain Bruno Fernandes. Whether such a player makes a difference is doubtful, as 30-year-old Bruno played 55 of Manchester United’s 60 matches last season, while this season’s total games won’t exceed 50.

According to The Athletic, Bayern Munich explored the possibility of signing Mainoo but never formally expressed interest. Leverkusen, coached by Ten Hag, is interested but cannot afford him. Unlike Ganacho, Mainoo prefers playing in Europe rather than staying in the Premier League.

English clubs like Tottenham, Newcastle, and Brighton have also been linked. Among these, the Baleba-for-Mainoo swap story is entirely implausible, and the "Seagulls" cannot afford the cost of signing the Manchester United prodigy.

In January this year, when Chelsea inquired about Mainoo, Manchester United asked for £70 million. Now, it is said that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos are willing to accept £45 million, and even less might be negotiated.

Besides the transfer fee, Mainoo has two major demands that have prevented him from renewing his contract with Manchester United so far. First, he wants to be a regular starter; second, he seeks a top salary. These demands could also hinder his transfer.

Mainoo’s current contract with Manchester United was signed in February 2023 for four years. At that time, having only made two appearances, he was earning £20,000 per week. Over a year later, after becoming a key defensive midfielder in Ten Hag’s 4-2-3-1 system, he played 32 matches and scored five goals, including the winning goal in the 2-1 FA Cup final against Manchester City. He was also selected for England, playing four matches in the European Championship, including the 1-2 final loss to Spain under Southgate.

Therefore, his agent is demanding a substantial pay raise—up to ten times his current salary! The £200,000 weekly wage request is not fabricated by the English media. At one point, he outperformed Casemiro in midfield, whose weekly wage is £350,000. On Manchester United’s bench are players like Mason Mount and Sancho earning £250,000 weekly, and Antony at £200,000. Hence, Mainoo’s family believes he deserves a high salary, but the club refuses, insisting he must maintain good performance for another year or two to earn it.

Currently, contract renewal seems far off; Manchester United refuses to increase his salary, and given Amolin’s usage of Mainoo, the player is unwilling to extend. Initially, his refusal to renew was a bargaining tactic, but now a transfer has become a real possibility—if not this summer, then rumors will continue next year, especially if Amolin remains head coach.

In Amolin’s 3-4-3 system, Mainoo struggles to find a suitable position. This also reflects a common issue among several generations of Manchester United’s elite academy players: many lack ambition and rely solely on their talent to establish themselves. Rashford, Mason Greenwood, and Ganacho are no different; regardless of how long they have been around, their style remains unchanged and even less hardworking than when they first debuted.

Among Manchester United’s famous Class of '92, Beckham started as a midfielder before moving to the right wing; Nicky Butt originally wore number 10 as a forward before converting to a defensive midfielder. They did not complain, but today’s academy princes at the Red Devils throw tantrums if not played in their preferred positions and are unwilling to sacrifice for the team.

In Amolin’s 3-4-3, central midfielders need to run hard to balance attack and defense. However, it is hard to see Mainoo doing this, as he moves at a steady, unhurried pace like Pogba rather than the relentless style of Kanté. His calm and composed nature can have negative effects in Amolin’s system. If midfielders run like Mainoo, opponents can easily break through the middle and attack United’s defense.

At the start of last season, Amolin mostly deployed Mainoo as a number 10, but his performance was average. Now, after spending £200 million on Shesko, Mbemo, and Cunha, the space for the young academy star up front is very limited.

Running and mobility are aspects Amolin is dissatisfied with in Mainoo. This summer, he explicitly told the player to speed up his pace and rhythm. Although Mainoo’s muscle mass increased after last season’s injury, his movement and physical confrontations have not improved.

One viewpoint is that Manchester United should not put too much pressure on young players now. Players like Scholes and Beckham only took on key roles at 21 or 22. But today’s youngsters lack patience; they dislike changing themselves and prefer the team and coach to build around them.

People around Mainoo complain that Amolin is poor at communication. The 40-year-old Portuguese coach, like his mentor Mourinho, prefers players to overcome difficulties on their own. It is said that if players express dissatisfaction over playing time, Amolin tells them to work harder in training and earn their place through performance, without providing specific guidance.

Amolin does not single anyone out; Casemiro was also sidelined when he first coached but later regained his starting spot through performance, especially in European competitions. However, Mainoo’s team feels he needs guidance and feedback, and that this management style is not the best approach for young players. At this point, they forget they once sought to match top salaries in earnings.

It is reported that Mainoo’s training at Carrington is normal, and his relationship with teammates is good, especially with fellow French defender Lenny Yaro. The two trained and socialized together over the summer. But if Mainoo wants to achieve greater success, he must break the limitations that have held back predecessors like Rashford and Greenwood, making his skills more comprehensive instead of relying solely on talent.

Data shows that since 1937, Manchester United’s first team has always had at least one academy graduate in every matchday squad. However, Ganacho’s transfer is only a matter of time, and if Mainoo also leaves, the record of 4,323 matches may come to an end.

At present, there are no academy players starting regularly in Manchester United’s first team, and even finding substitutes is difficult. Centre-back Tyler Fredrickson is one of the few options. Historically, Manchester United is known for its strong spirit; the team should not have pampered "princes." Only when everyone fights passionately can they truly be the Red Devils.

More and more fans feel that Manchester United’s academy talents have been overly spoiled, enjoying privileges at Old Trafford and Carrington, leading to stagnation. Only by leaving the club might they regain the motivation to strive for progress.