Earns 4x more than Mainoo: INEOS must finally sell Man Utd flop who’s “not even good” – opinion

In order to increase their alternatives at the top end of the field, Manchester United made several remarkable acquisitions during the summer transfer window, including Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko.

Since joining from Premier League foe Brentford, Mbeumo has scored goals against Burnley and Grimsby in recent weeks.

However, the Red Devils failed to complete a deal for Carlos Baleba, a central midfielder for Brighton & Hove Albion, during the summer transfer window.

Fabrizio Romano disclosed that Kobbie Mainoo had informed the club that he wished to go on loan for the season, which added a scare to the window.

In order to play regular minutes before the World Cup next summer, the England international preferred to go out on loan rather than consider a permanent move away from Old Trafford.

But even on loan, Manchester United didn’t want to let go of the academy graduate so near the conclusion of the transfer window, so he stayed with the team.

Why Man Utd need to get the best out of Kobbie Mainoo

Now that Mainoo is staying at Old Trafford, Ruben Amorim needs to figure out how to get the most out of the youngster, who has shown himself to be a promising young prospect.

He has only made one start this season, in the League Cup against Grimsby. The team had a terrible night, losing on penalties, but the midfield player was excellent both in and out of possession.

When you take into account Mainoo’s performance before Amorim joined the team, there shouldn’t be any question about whether he is good enough to start games for Manchester United.

As the table above shows, under Erik ten Hag, the 20-year-old sensation was among the Premier League’s best center midfielders at driving with the ball and creating opportunities when in possession throughout the 2023–2024 season.

Amorim clarified that the reason Mainoo was not used as a substitute in the Premier League’s opening two games, against Arsenal and Fulham, was because he is vying for a spot in the squad with Bruno Fernandes.

Although the manager’s statements in the remarks above can be justified because his midfield two usually consists of one enforcer and one creative player to support one another, it still feels like a waste of the potential at his disposal.

Although Manuel Ugarte has made more appearances in the Premier League than Mainoo this season, despite his lackluster performances, Mainoo is capable of creating excellence in the league, as evidenced by the goal in the above clip.

When the transfer window reopens in January, INEOS must finally cash in on the Uruguay international, who was signed from PSG in 2024, as he hasn’t done enough to warrant being given priority over Mainoo.

Why Man Utd should sell Manuel Ugarte

According to Capology, Ugarte’s current weekly salary at Old Trafford is £120,000. Although that is more than four times Mainoo’s weekly salary of £25,000, his performances do not warrant that outlay of funds.

Due to his defensive nature, the former Sporting star is a midfield destroyer who’suits’ Amorim’s approach as a partner for Mason Mount or Bruno Fernandes.

However, according to Sofascore, Ugarte was dribbled past 1.3 times per Premier League game last season, compared to Mainoo’s 0.6 dribbles, indicating that rival midfielders found it too simple to defeat him.

In addition, he made two mistakes that resulted in shots or goals and won 53% of his duels. According to Sofascore, Mainoo won 45% of his duels and made one mistake that resulted in a shot or goal, indicating that they were both largely uninterested in fighting.

Therefore, Ugarte’s defensive improvement is insufficient, if any, to justify his starting as a substitute in the first two Premier League games before the England international.

These remarks made on Sky Sports in October of last year are still relevant today because the Uruguayan international struggled with “lackadaisical” performance on the ball during the 2024–2025 season.

Ugarte was among the Premier League’s poorest central midfielders last season in terms of advancing play and having an effect at the top end of the field, as the table above illustrates.

Since it has been so simple for attackers to dribble past him, the former PSG star has struggled in possession and has not been dependable defensively, which is why he has failed at Old Trafford.

Indeed, in October of last year, a former Netherlands international criticized Ten Hag and the team for acquiring players who are “not even good” and said that Ugarte was “walking” around the field.