Ruben Amorim says he will speak with Kobbie Mainoo about a potential January loan if the midfielder asks, while stressing any decision will take United’s needs, training performances and his tactical plans into account. Mainoo, who asked to leave temporarily in the summer, has not started a Premier League game this season and has seen his limited minutes draw public criticism from former United players urging him to seek regular football.
Those ex-players have argued a move would aid Mainoo’s development. Mainoo, who started for England in the Euros final in July 2024, has been linked with loan options including Napoli as he looks to build game time ahead of the World Cup.
Amorim said he would welcome a conversation if Mainoo approached him, adding that he wants his players to be happy and that unresolved frustration benefits nobody. He also made clear he has not had a detailed discussion about a loan this season, though he is completely open to such talks and will judge any request against what he believes is best for the team.
Amorim pointed to stern competition in midfield as the main reason for Mainoo’s reduced role. Bruno Fernandes has started every league game and is “really hard to take out of the team,” with substitutions coming late and limiting opportunities in that particular attacking midfield spot. Amorim believes Mainoo can adapt to a deeper holding role like the one Casemiro sometimes occupies, but said the youngster must improve his defensive positioning and his commitment to stopping transitions to make that role his own.
He used Casemiro as an example of a player who changed his standing through training and performance after initially being behind academy midfielder Toby Collyer last season. Collyer is currently on loan at West Brom and returned to United for treatment after an injury. Amorim defended his wider handling of academy players, saying selection often comes down to situational factors rather than academy status alone.
Amorim affirmed that he rates Mainoo and suggested the youngster might gain minutes in a three-midfielder system rather than the two-man midfield United have regularly used. He reiterated that the door is open for any player to change his mind with strong training and match displays, but he will not alter decisions simply to accommodate requests that he feels harm the team.
On public criticism of his management during a patch of underachievement, Amorim accepted it as part of the job and acknowledged United should be picking up more points. In short: he is willing to listen if Mainoo asks for a January loan, but any move will be weighed against team balance, tactical needs and Mainoo’s own performances in training and games.