29 Mar 2025 11:56:36
Shappy has written an article entitled, Current Midfield Options For Manchester United
29 Mar 2025 16:36:25
I don't think there are many writing off mainoo at all.
He imo is a huge talent with a very high ceiling.
There are many scenarios that could develop that we don't neve to sell him but there are also scenarios that could come about that we do need to sell him.
Amorim has spoken on why at this point he is not ideal in the 2 midfield positions but has spoken highly if him for the 2 10 positions.
30 Mar 2025 03:32:19
As much as it pains me to admit, because I am fully of the idea we back Amorim. I don't see where he fits. So I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave. I wouldn't advocate for it though. As in the future we never know who'll be in charge, RA or someone else who will have use for him.
30 Mar 2025 10:22:53
Ken, I've seen a few posts where people are saying he isn't good enough or that he doesn't fit into Amorim's team. Which is why I wrote that post.
I tend to agree that currently I think he suits the No.10 role better than as one of the double pivot. But the lad is just 19 years old, he has a lot of developing and growing to do yet, so who knows where his best position will be. We've seen many players break into the first team in one position but end up playing another, or changing positions later in their career.
Personally I think he's too talented to sell (unless we really HAVE to sell him) .
Dn8red, Amorim himself has said he suits the No.10/ inside forward positions. Which I totally agree with. At this stage of his development I think he lacks the stamina to be a starter as one of the double pivot in Amorim's system. He tends to have CB's being the playmakers, wingbacks provide attacking width and the midfield tends to do the donkey work filling in any gaps or holes in the side and players move through different stages of transitions. Key for that role is reading of the game and stamina to get about the pitch. Pace and mobility are other obvious useful traits as well.
Mainoo has the mobility and while not rapid is more than quick enough. Where he lacks is mostly stamina, and occasionally reading of the game in that role (most likely due to inexperience, as he's typically pretty good at reading the game from an offensive point of view) .
Stamina is something he can build up over time with the right training, while his reading of the game from a defensive point of view will improve as he gains experience.
At the very least he's a useful back up option for the double pivot and a potential starter as one of the No.10's/ inside forwards. While he has huge potential to become a top player in time.
I don't see Mainoo as a player the club needs to sell from a football perspective. Maybe if a huge offer comes in for him then from a financial perspective it might make sense.
30 Mar 2025 12:00:16
The club are going to make the same mistake they did with TH if they go balls to the wall backing Amorins "style" which may not even work in a top league like England Mainoo while he's definitely overated by UTD fans should be kept good player surely Amo if he's this top manager can make use of him i wouldn't let this previously unknown manager rebuild in his image whatever that may be thought things had changed UTD were going to have there own style that the manager would have to work with looks like there taking the lazy option again let the manager dictate the style and hope it works then when it dosent be back to square 1 again more 3/ 5 year "rebuild" where the manager can't be judged until he's players for his "style" UTD make football look like rocket science its a simple game.
30 Mar 2025 13:26:37
“But the lad is just 19 years old, he has a lot of developing and growing to do yet. ”
I agree with this, but also believe that a 19 year old with about 50 senior appearances that has a lot of growing and developing to do shouldn’t be looking for a wage packet above £100,000 a week.
Manioo could be an important player for the club, and adapt to fit into Amorim’s system. However, if the choice is between paying him a wage he has nowhere near earned, or selling him. Then the club need to move him on. One of the biggest problems at the club is overinflated wages, and it has to stop.
30 Mar 2025 16:05:10
I don't think people are writing Mainoo off but rightly are asking the question about where he fits currently and his importance going forward.
I don't see the club selling him unless his wage demands are unreasonable (he should be around the £120k and happy with bonuses on top) .
If Amorim does like him he has the chance to evolve over the next year and fill a position of need with so much turnover coming. Should his wage demands outstrip his current fit and ability then I can see the club moving him on for decent money and investing.
30 Mar 2025 16:13:46
Mainoo is an excellent prospect. He played a lot of football last year, including the Euros. For one so young, the step up to first team football is very demanding. Players have to be managed to prevent fatigue.
Consequently he has suffered with a few injuries. There is no doubt questiong his talent. Mainoo is an asset to the club, even ED001 has been wax lyrical about him.
The papers love to twist the truth. Let's just wait and see what happens. Personally I fit mainoo returning to the first team us something we should all relish.
30 Mar 2025 17:15:50
I think he's an awesome prospect, people are forgetting how good he was last year, I think injuries have been an issue this season.
I don't see him as a 10, I think he has the attributes to play CF, but he's still young and needs coaching and developing, still a great talent though.
30 Mar 2025 18:23:56
If I'm Mainoo's agent I'm looking at Lenny Yoro's salary and saying surely Kobbie is worth something similar, or having already been capped for his country, even more. And therein lies a lesson. If you basically bribe young prospects to come to the club at inflated salaries it's going to have an effect on the home grown talent's expectations.
30 Mar 2025 19:59:00
Shaw,
Leny is on about £115k a week, seems about right for what we should be offering Mainoo as well, not the silly amounts we are hearing.
30 Mar 2025 22:56:53
That was my point exactly GDS2. However, if it's the club's intention to sell him this summer then the lower the salary now the more scope for the buyer to pay an even greater transfer fee.
30 Mar 2025 23:48:15
But £115k is pretty reasonable isn’t it? We’ve not thrown crazy money at Yoro, your post seemed to suggest we’ve overpaid for Yoro so now have to pay the price, but we’ve got players on double / almost treble what he’s on from the previous regime, the new structure seems much better to me.
31 Mar 2025 13:43:39
I think Mainoo has been one of our brighter sparks for at least 3-4 seasons. There haven't been many to be honest. Hope we keep him, but the midfield is still a bit of a mess. We've got a bit of a destroyer in Ugarte, Collyer for me doesn't look like he's going to be much more than an option, and Bruno occasionally plays there when we're short (not his position to be fair) . But over a dozen years since the second retirement of Paul Scholes we've still yet to have any midfielder with the quality to pull the strings. Other than Bruno no-one even comes close. We got Eriksen 10 years too late.
31 Mar 2025 14:01:31
Honestly, I think anything above £100,000 for players with the experience of Manioo and Yoro is outrageous. It’s not like they’ve proven anything. Like Gabreal at Arsenal is on £100,000 and he’s one of the best cbs in the league.
I can understand that with Yoro, a big wage was probably necessary to convince him to join, rather than wait until he’s a free agent and move to a more competitive side. But with Manioo, no chance. He signed a new contract last year, and is already pushing for a new one. High wages should be earned by more than potential. Amad is a good example. Proved himself to be a key player under Amorim and earned a new contract (below what Manioo, who has proved himself nowhere near as valuable, is looking for) .
I just can’t accept the idea that a player with that little first team experience deserves that much money. He needs to go away and make himself a key player before trying to get a pay rise.
01 Apr 2025 16:12:56
Spenno, not sure about 3 or 4 years, he only really got game time last year.