Kobbie Mainoo commits his future to Manchester United
Manchester United have essentially locked in Kobbie Mainoo on a new long-term deal. Journalist Samuel Luckhurst reports a verbal agreement on a five-year contract worth £150,000 a week, which is a massive jump that quadruples his current wages. The 21-year-old, who celebrated his birthday on Sunday, is now expected to stay at Old Trafford until 2031. (Via The Mirror)
This ends months of uncertainty that nearly saw him leave the club for good. Three months of talks between Mainoo’s camp and club officials finally led to this breakthrough. Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness told Football Insider the deal is basically “done,” and we should see a formal announcement very soon.
The backstory here is important. Amorim completely froze Mainoo out of the first team, giving him just one start in the 2025–26 campaign, a Carabao Cup loss to League Two side Grimsby Town, before the Portuguese manager was sacked. Mainoo had actually put in a loan request last summer after Amorim told him he’d have to compete with Bruno Fernandes for a starting spot, which most felt was unrealistic given Mainoo’s natural role. Napoli were seriously interested, and a six-month loan to Serie A seemed like a sure thing until United blocked the move, adamant that the academy graduate was still part of their long-term plans.
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How did Carrick turn everything around for Mainoo?
Since Michael Carrick took over as interim boss, Mainoo has started 11 of 12 games, becoming a regular in the midfield alongside Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes. His stats for this Premier League season only tell half the story: 1,203 minutes, two assists, and a 6.88 FotMob rating.
Those numbers mostly reflect the time he spent on the bench under Amorim rather than how well he’s playing right now. Against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Mainoo put in a massive shift in a tough game, earning a shout-out from Carrick after United’s 1-0 win. His comeback also earned him a spot back in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad just in time for the 2026 World Cup.
Should Manchester United tie down more academy graduates to long deals?
They definitely should, and Mainoo’s situation shows exactly why. Manchester United have one of the best academies in the world, yet they nearly lost a top-tier talent because of poor management. With Casemiro confirmed to be leaving at the end of the season and uncertainty around Bruno Fernandes, United need homegrown leaders to build around.
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At 21, Mainoo gives them that foundation. Paying him what he’s actually worth, instead of letting clubs like Napoli take advantage, shows that INEOS is taking a much smarter, proactive approach. Manchester United should apply this same logic to all their promising young players rather than waiting for a crisis to act.
