It’s not a move that anyone wants to see happen, but if Kobbie Mainoo is intent on leaving Man Utd in the January window, then the club need to repeat the Endrick demand.
Kobbie Mainoo’s future at Man Utd has become an unexpected and unwanted topic of discussion as he has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford.
Ruben Amorim has settled upon a midfield pivot of Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, and, unfortunately, even Mainoo’s recent games don’t inspire confidence that he can change that.
With the World Cup on the horizon, Amorim might be forced to sanction a loan move for the academy star, but it must come with one caveat.
Man Utd’s Kobbie Mainoo stance will speak volumes
Had the World Cup not been next year, there wouldn’t have been so much conversation about Mainoo’s lack of playing time.
His rise in world football has set almost unrealistic expectations of what his minutes should look like, especially in a settled team.
Now, the spectre of Mainoo on the bench makes every game more uncomfortable for Amorim, which is why a break in January might be the best option.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe personally blocked a move for Mainoo in the summer window, but things haven’t improved since then, so their stance in January might change.
What shouldn’t change, however, is a clause they would have insisted on in the summer, and the same should remain the case for January.
It will speak volumes about how much they rate Mainoo as a player, even if he’s not a starter right now.
Real Madrid’s Endrick demand sets the way
United were linked with Endrick for a while, who is in a similar situation at Real Madrid as Mainoo is at United, in that he’s an exciting youngster not getting minutes.
Madrid are open to letting Endrick leave on loan, much like what United might be forced to do, but what happens next is important.
Madrid have made it clear that any move for Endrick will purely be a loan for six months, rejecting any options to buy out of hand.
Endrick now knows Madrid rate him highly, even if they can’t find a spot for him right now.
That is the message United need to send to Mainoo as well by insisting on any loan move to be purely temporary.
United’s fixture list could look a lot different next season if things go to plan, and Mainoo’s position as a generational talent hasn’t disappeared in four months.
A loan move to keep him in top shape with minutes, before a more developed version of him returning in the summer is the ideal scenario.
In no scenario should United entertain any options to buy for a player who often personified the club’s heritage since his breakthrough.
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