A Manchester United star with 10 clubs reportedly tracking him will push for an exit in January, with a source saying “make no mistake about it.”
United have made a big leap this season from last. While they are eighth in the Premier League, they are only two points off second-placed Manchester City, with a large clump of sides all on similar points.
Last season, the Red Devils finished 15th, so being so competitive at this stage is a good sign for Ruben Amorim, who has been under threat, at least in the media.
One of his biggest calls this season has been giving Kobbie Mainoo hardly any minutes. The Englishman is seen as a prodigious talent, but with only two midfield spots, Amorim has given him just 138 minutes of action in the Premier League.
Mainoo was a target for a few sides in the summer, but was kept at United as a backup option.
Having hardly played this term, Caught Offside reports sources have stated he will be looking for the exit when the winter window opens.
One was said to state: “They stopped him leaving in the summer, but make no mistake, he wants out, and the club know that.”
Further to that, the report named the 10 sides who want to land the United midfielder in January.
Alongside Napoli, who are named as the leaders in the race – with ‘strong and concrete interest’ – there is also interest from: Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle, Manchester City, Leeds, Everton, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
The line from United remains that they do not want to let Mainoo go. However, interest from Atletico could make for the most intriguing given what it could represent to the Red Devils.
Conor Gallagher is said to possibly be able to leave Atletico, creating space for Mainoo to possibly join.
United would not make it easy for Mainoo to head to the Spanish side, but it could be mutually beneficial if they are the side who lands Gallagher.
They have been linked with him for some time and as the January window nears, those links are becoming stronger.
In late October, it was reported that United are ‘determined’ to lodge a decent bid for Gallagher. If they can come to an agreement with Atletico between the two midfielders, then there seems a chance that both moves could happen.
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