Kobbie Mainoo has risked the wrath of Ruben Amorim after a “cryptic” post on social media – which the Manchester United starlet promptly deleted – has exploded online.
A tense situation
After becoming dissatisfied with his lack of playing time at the start of the new season, Mainoo made a startling request to leave the Red Devils on loan at the end of the summer transfer window.
Amorim decided to keep the 20-year-old midfielder as an unused substitute, therefore he did not play a single minute in either of the first two Premier League games, at home against Arsenal and away against Fulham.
The Portuguese coach substituted center defenders Harry Maguire and Ayden Heaven, as well as Manuel Ugarte, for Mainoo even though United had been chasing a goal in both games.
In search of greater first-team opportunities for the season, the Academy graduate decided to make a transfer request to depart Old Trafford on loan.
After shining for England at the European Championship in Germany last summer, where he helped his team reach the final against Spain—a match the Three Lions ultimately lost 2-1—Mainoo has his sights set on the World Cup the following year.
Regardless of past results, however, Mainoo’s exclusion from the England squad for this week’s international break shows that new manager Thomas Tuchel is unlikely to select a player relegated to the bench.
After playing as a number eight, number ten, and even a false nine the previous season, Mainoo does not appear to have a place in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system.
This season, the former Sporting manager seems determined to use the young player in central midfield, but he has made it clear that he is up against club captain Bruno Fernandes for the spot, and there can only be one victor.
Additionally, as Mainoo’s current contract is slated to expire in 2027, United and he have been engaged in lengthy contract negotiations.
Because of this, the Red Devils were amenable to selling the midfield player this summer, which was unimaginable fifteen months ago when he put on an incredible performance in the FA Cup final to help United defeat Manchester City at Wembley and win the trophy while also taking home the Player of the Tournament award.
A player who previously appeared to represent a club’s future might easily become expendable because football evolves so fast. Alejandro Garnacho will tell you.
A pointed message or an unfortunate coincidence?
As the September 1 deadline drew near, United firmly denied Mainoo’s loan request, emphasizing that he was still a vital member of the first team.
With the international break giving the team a chance to relax, the window’s closure was an opportunity to put a stop to the uncomfortable situation.
But with a post on Instagram today using an image from “Whiplash,” a film about a “rising star that can never seem to satisfy their mentor/coach,” Mainoo has run the risk of adding gasoline to a fire that had seemed to be extinguished, according to Daily Mirror reporter Nathan Salt.
Mainoo swiftly removed the tweet, implying that it might have been an unlucky accident that he later realized its implications or that he was hesitant to share a purposeful message about his underlying grievances with his manager.
In any case, the internet never forgets, and fans have been asking which response is true as the post has gone viral on social media.
Since Mainoo is an Academy graduate and has shown a professional demeanor during his rapid ascent at Old Trafford over the last 24 months, the Peoples Person would rather trust the former.
But it’s a different matter entirely whether Amorim decides to accept this explanation. The 40-year-old coach has no tolerance for players who challenge his authority in public.
Again, just ask Garnacho for his testimony on that.
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