Manchester United hero labels Kobbie Mainoo treatment ‘scary’

Manchester United hero Nicky Butt feels Kobbie Mainoo’s situation at the club is ‘scary’ as he continues to find himself out of Ruben Amorim’s team.

Still just 20 years old, Mainoo burst onto the scene in the 2023/24 season under Erik ten Hag, making 32 appearances that season across all competitions as a teenager.

His performances saw him earn a spot in the England squad at Euro 2024 and eventually win a place in Gareth Southgate’s starting XI, starting the final against Spain.

It has been a notable drop off since then, with the arrival of Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford not helping his cause.

The midfielder has fallen down the pecking order under the Portuguese and all eight of his Premier League appearances this season have come as a substitute.

Mainoo has made nine appearances in all competitions, so he has not been frozen out at Manchester United, but he has certainly not gone on to be the integral figure it looked like he was set to be.

Butt, who was academy manager when Mainoo came through the youth ranks, is concerned by his lack of progress after a blistering start to his career.

He also believes that if the midfielder was playing for a smaller Premier League team, Manchester United would be readying a big bid for him.

‘I am worried about him because he’s a superstar,’ Butt told Sky Sports. ‘He got into the England team at 18-19. He was one of the best performers at the Euros for us.

‘He’s come through the academy from the age of seven, he was there when I was there as academy manager. I know him as a person, know him as a young boy, I know him as a young man, I know the talent that he’s got.

‘The scary thing for me is that if Kobbie Mainoo were playing for Crystal Palace, example, Man United would go and buy him for £60–70 million, guaranteed. So it is alarming that he’s not playing a lot.

‘I don’t know the reasons why, I’m not going to sit here and say he should be this or that, because I don’t know the background story.

‘All I know is that he’s a talented player and if he was at any other football club – bar Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea where it’s hard to get players out of – Man United would be in for him in January for £50-60m and it’s sad because I know how much he loves football and the football club.’

Butt feels Manchester United are wasting Mainoo’s talent and they need to work with him to get the best out of him again.

‘More importantly we know the talent that he’s got and it is a waste,’ said the former England international. ‘He’s a player we could do with.

‘He came on against Everton [on Monday] and I’m going to myself, “come on Kobbie, show them what you’ve got, create a goal, score a goal, stick two fingers up at the doubters.”

‘He’s having a bad time at the minute and I can understand why. He’s only a young man and he’s going to need some help to get back to what he was and get his confidence back to where it was.’

Amorim addresses Mainoo’s future

Amorim spoke out recently on the future of his fringe players, with both Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee linked with January loan exits.

The manager said he wants to keep his players happy, but the needs of the club will take priority.

‘The first thing is that the club comes first, so we have to think about the club and the team, and then everything can happen,’ said Amorim.

‘I was a football player, I understand everything, and I want to help my players in every situation, so I don’t know what is going to happen.

‘I want my players to be happy. I understand the frustration of some players, seeing that the World Cup is there, and I know what it means for the World Cup, but Manchester United comes first. So if I can help the club and the players, I will be happy, if not I have to think about the team.’