Kobbie Mainoo’s future will be a hot topic in the January window, but had Man Utd managed to land a certain player in the summer, Mainoo wouldn’t be at the club right now.
It is an open secret that Kobbie Mainoo has been itching for a move away from Man Utd since the summer window, albeit temporarily.
Ruben Amorim, for his part, hasn’t given him enough minutes, but such is Mainoo’s importance to the club that Sir Jim Ratcliffe personally intervened to stop the move.
United are stopping it again, if only because they don’t want to stay short of numbers in midfield. Had they signed a certain transfer target in the summer, it could have accelerated Mainoo’s departure. They dodged a bullet.
Ardon Jashari could have sealed Kobbie Mainoo’s exit
United were in the market for a defensive midfielder, but they ultimately failed to get one in the summer, and before Carlos Baleba, there was Ardon Jashari.
The Swiss defensive midfielder was linked to United throughout the summer, but United wanted to make a bigger splash instead.
They focused their attention on Baleba, and Jashari earned himself a move to AC Milan, joining from Club Brugge in a highly-rated capture.
Jashari isn’t very big physically, but he more than makes up for it in tenacity and athleticism, two traits valued highly by Amorim.
Milan were chuffed to get the deal done, and United, especially after striking out on Baleba, left themselves in a tricky position.
Casemiro’s resurgence has plugged that hole for now, but had Jashari signed, Mainoo’s departure could have been sanctioned.
Considering what has happened to Jashari since the signing, United dodged a bullet.
Jashari has had a nightmare start at AC Milan
Amorim has managed to reduce injuries at Old Trafford by carefully managing minutes, and a lighter match-load has also helped.
However, Jashari has had the worst luck this season, breaking his fibula after playing just 16 minutes off the bench against Cremonense to start the season.
Before that 16-minute league appearance, there was a 24-minute cameo in the cup to mark his debut for the club.
Unfortunately, those 40 minutes remain his only time on the pitch for Milan, since the injury has seen him miss multiple months of the season.
He has returned and made the bench for Milan’s last two fixtures, but holistically, it has been a nightmare start for him.
He faces an uphill battle now to shake off this setback and make himself important, but with Milan in a title race this season, it will be difficult for him to make himself undeniable.
Ultimately, United dodged a bullet by not signing Jashari, as they can redirect those funds to someone like Elliot Anderson, or go back in for Baleba next summer.
Both are less injury-prone and, most importantly, Premier League proven.
Furthermore, if Amorim relents, not signing Jashari could also see Mainoo have some minutes as a busy festive period approaches.
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