Napoli now expect to sign Kobbie Mainoo January in after what he’s just done at Man United
Napoli are now preparing for the arrival of Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo in the January transfer window.
The midfielder’s future at Old Trafford has been looking bleak for several weeks now, and a move away from the Premier League now appears to be firmly on the cards.
Football Insider revealed at the end of October that Manchester United do not intend to let Mainoo leave in January, regardless of the lack of football that he has received so far this term.
Ruben Amorim has yet to start the 20-year-old in the league so far this season, and he now appears to have taken matters into his own hands in relation to his future.
Kobbie Mainoo greenlights Napoli move as timeframe emerges
Former Manchester United scout Mick Brown recently told Football Insider that United are planning to block an exit for Mainoo if the cogs begin to turn regarding a deal this winter.
The Red Devils allowed Scott McTominay to leave for Napoli in the summer of 2024, and have since been forced to watch on as he has become one of Serie A’s biggest stars.
Mainoo now looks set to follow in the footsteps of the Scotland international, as the Naples outfit appear increasingly confident that a deal will be struck with Manchester United.
Antonio Conte’s side are now “expecting the arrival” of the youngster this winter, according to Il Mattino, with quotes relayed by Calcio Napoli.
The England hopeful is understood to have already given the green light to a loan move outside the Premier League in the January window, with talks ongoing with United over a deal.
However, it is also noted that the “timing is fundamental” to the deal, as the Italian giants want to add Mainoo to their group as soon as the window opens.
Ruben Amorim has badly mismanaged Mainoo at Man United
Amorim remains under pressure at United at the moment, and his mismanagement of a prestigious young talent like Mainoo has baffled many within the fan base and beyond.
The academy graduate netted the winner in the FA Cup final at the end of his first full campaign as a member of the senior squad, and he was also nominated for the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season award in 2023-24.
The starlet’s astronomic rise that year ultimately resulted in him starting for England in the final of Euro 2024, but since then, things have largely been going downhill for him.
Mainoo quickly emerged as one of the brightest young talents in English football and was seemingly destined to become the latest Old Trafford starlet to reach the very top. However, Amorim’s bizarre lack of faith in him is badly stunting his development.
It is perfectly understandable that United don’t want to lose him permanently, but a six-month loan spell is surely an outcome that could benefit all parties in the long term.