Ruben Amorim has made a brutal comment over Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo, who wants a loan exit in the January transfer window.
Mainoo has not started a single Premier League match for United this season and didn’t make it off the bench in Thursday’s draw with West Ham.
The only game the 20-year-old England international midfielder has started this season is the Carabao Cup defeat to League Two side Grimsby Town.
Speaking ahead of the club’s next fixture, a trip to Wolves on Monday, United boss Amorim has defended his decision to marginalise Mainoo and says he will not pick him in the XI just because he plays for England.
Quizzed if there was a risk of Mainoo becoming demoralised, Amorim said: ‘I see it. I just want to win, I try to put the players, I don’t look who it is, I don’t care about that, I’m just trying to put the best players on the pitch.
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‘I don’t know [if players departing for AFCON could present a chance for Mainoo]. It’s the same question, I don’t know what is going to happen.
‘It depends, I’ve seen the training, if it’s the best thing for the team, I will put [him in], that is the only way I know how to respond to that.
‘I understand [being asked about Mainoo] and my job is to answer, but I’m trying to answer always the same thing, and you ask me always the same thing.
‘I understand what you [reporters] are saying. You love Kobbie, he starts for England.
‘But that doesn’t mean that I need to put Kobbie [in] when I feel that I shouldn’t put Kobbie [in], so it’s my decision.’
According to The Athletic, Mainoo is now ‘deeply frustrated’ over his lack of playing time and wishes to leave the club on loan in January.
But it is understood that United will not make a decision until the Africa Cup of Nations has concluded on January 18 over fears of the club’s other players picking up injury problems at the tournament in Morocco.
Mainoo came through United’s academy and has played a total of 82 games for the Red Devils to date across all competitions.
Meanwhile, United legend Paul Scholes has accused Amorim of ‘ruining’ Mainoo’s career.
‘The kid is being ruined, not being played in a team that can’t control a game of football,’ Scholes posted in a now-deleted Instagram story.
‘Hate seeing home grown players leave but it’s probably best for him now, enough is enough.’
Mainoo was linked with an exit in the most recent summer transfer window but stayed at Old Trafford.
It is thought Mainoo has a preference to go abroad should he leave United, with Bayern Munich among the clubs to have shown interest in the past.