Manchester United and England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has made a U-turn about his future at Old Trafford following his side’s 2-0 win over Manchester City two days ago.
The 20-year-old wanted to leave United on a loan deal last season after Ruben Amorim made it clear that he would be competing alongside Bruno Fernandes for playing time in the middle of the park.
Given that the Portuguese talisman barely gets injured, it meant Mainoo would get very few minutes under Amorim, who also blocked the Carrington Academy graduate from leaving the club.
Amorim was fired two weeks ago, and now the club have appointed Michael Carrick to take charge of the team until the end of the season. Under Amorim, Mainoo only played 90-minute games thrice. One in the Europa League, another against West Ham United last season, and the final in their loss to Grimsby Town.
However, Carrick’s arrival seems to be a breath of fresh air for the EURO 2024 finalist. The former Middlesbrough head coach immediately threw Mainoo into the thick of things against Pep Guardiola’s side on Sunday, and the youngster thrived in the middle of the park alongside Casemiro.
According to The Mirror, Mainoo has now decided against leaving Manchester United during the winter transfer window after he received backing from Carrick.
It was revealed in the report that Carrick ignited a hunger in Mainoo, telling him to fight for his spot in the United starting lineup.
Napoli were linked with the one-time FA Cup winner, but with Carrick’s words taking root in the psyche of the young midfielder, the Italian powerhouse can forget any chance of making a deal happen.
Before taking over the Manchester United coaching role, Carrick opined that Mainoo was not being utilised properly under Ruben Amorim. With him at the helm of affairs at Old Trafford, he’ll be looking to thrive where the former Sporting Lisbon manager didn’t.
