Manchester United may loan out their new star but will not sell him! Let Napoli develop him, Amrabat could return if sacked

Although Coby Meno has recently been linked with Real Madrid, that is likely just a tactic to raise his price. Serie A's Napoli is more confident about signing Meno in the January winter transfer window, with Manchester United possibly demanding a loan deal without a purchase option. This essentially lets the other club help nurture the 20-year-old English midfielder by giving him more playing time.

Manchester United's plan might be that the 20-year-old Meno, who has supported the club since childhood and is still young, could return to Old Trafford if the coach Ruben Amrabat is replaced sooner than the three years expected by owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, especially if the player develops well.

According to Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport, Napoli approached Meno this summer but their negotiations changed due to Lukaku’s injury, leading them to sign forward Hojlund from Manchester United instead. Napoli plans to make another attempt next year and believes they can reach an agreement since Amrabat rarely uses Meno.

Transfer expert Ben Jacobs said, "Meno is a player Manchester United wants to loan out because the manager doesn’t see him fitting into his system. They have kept him only because they failed to sign another midfield reinforcement. The situation with Zirkzee is different; that player is actually considering leaving, but the coach genuinely likes him, even if only as a squad rotation option."

So far this season, Meno has struggled to fit into Amrabat’s 3-4-3 formation and has yet to start a Premier League match. With Bruno Fernandes dropping back to midfield as a starter, Amrabat implied that Meno must compete for his spot, effectively labeling him as a substitute.

The only time Meno played a full 90 minutes was in the League Cup match against Grimsby, where the team surprisingly lost to the League Two side, costing him a valuable opportunity to gain game time. Before Christmas, Manchester United only has one week with two matches, so rotation is unnecessary.

The Manchester United academy star is eager to gain more playing time before the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico next summer. He was a key player in the 2024 European Championship, where he impressed under Ten Hag’s management in his breakthrough season.

Amrabat recently stated that he doesn’t believe Meno has no chance at Manchester United, but he feels the player hasn’t performed to the expected level. It is widely believed that as long as Bruno Fernandes plays in midfield, Meno cannot be a starter, since having both on the pitch together would be a "tactical suicide."

So, if Meno joins Napoli, what would his role be? The Spanish site "fichajes" reports that coach Conte has included Meno in his strategic plans, aiming to find a reliable rotation option for Anguissa.

Unlike Manchester United, Napoli competes in the Champions League, and with Anguissa participating in the Africa Cup of Nations, Meno is expected to get significantly more game time. Napoli believes he will bring freshness and energy to the midfield, where rotation is most needed.

Conte thinks Meno’s pace suits Serie A and European competitions well, and he would feel more comfortable there than in the Premier League. Therefore, he has a "strong desire" to complete this deal. Meno also prefers moving to Napoli over interested Premier League clubs like Tottenham, Aston Villa, or Everton.

Napoli is not worried about developing a player for others because Meno’s contract is entering its final two years. If he does not renew, Manchester United may eventually have to sell him. Contract negotiations between the Red Devils and the player have lasted over a year, with his agent demanding a weekly wage exceeding £150,000, causing a significant gap between both sides.