Man United chiefs issue Kobbie Mainoo instruction to Michael Carrick

Manchester United’s top brass have reportedly made a request to Michael Carrick involving midfielder Kobbie Mainoo .

Until very recently, all indications pointed to Mainoo departing United this month in pursuit of a fresh challenge.

Mainoo endured an extremely tough start to the 2025/26 season as he fell out of favour under now-sacked head coach Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese tactician failed to find a place in his plans for Mainoo and towards the end of his reign, it appeared there were fractures in their relationship.

In a move that threatened to escalate tensions, the player’s brother appeared at the thrilling 4-4 draw in a shirt bearing the clear message: “Free Kobbie Mainoo .” In his press conferences, Amorim often reacted spikily when questioned about Mainoo’s role in the team.

While Amorim was reportedly willing to let Mainoo leave, he faced resistance from both the club’s hierarchy and a fanbase that made its stance unmistakably clear during matches. Eager to secure a place in the England squad ahead of the World Cup, Mainoo was seriously considering his options amidst rumoured interest from the likes of Napoli, Chelsea, Juventus and Bayern Munich.

However, Carrick’s appointment as head coach may have breathed new life into Mainoo’s United career and there now appears to be little chance of him departing. Mainoo was given just his second start of the season on Saturday as United beat Manchester City 2-1. He excelled in midfield alongside Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, earning praise from Carrick in his post-match remarks.

With Amorim out of the picture and Carrick in the dugout, the future seems significantly brighter for Mainoo.

According to GIVEMESPORT , Amorim’s treatment of Mainoo played a role in his dismissal. His exit was blocked by the football leadership group, who are said to have urged Carrick to play him until the end of the season.

GMS claim, “Having already seen Alejandro Garnacho join Chelsea after a public fall-out with Amorim, United weren’t prepared to lose another high-value talent in midfielder Mainoo. Mainoo’s plight has been on the minds of both Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada in recent weeks.”

“And it’s emerged the pair – backed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and endorsed by Sir Alex Ferguson – were behind the decision to block their England star from leaving both in the summer and in the current window despite some moderate pressure from the players’ camp.”

“Michael Carrick has been urged to include Mainoo after his appointment until the end of the season.”

It seems Carrick requires little persuasion to play Mainoo anyway. The United legend is evidently a strong advocate for the 20-year-old talent.

Mainoo is likely to play a key role this weekend as United face Arsenal, aiming to secure another major result.

Featured image George Wood via Getty Images

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