Kobbie Mainoo urged to leave Man Utd by club legend with midfielder at serious risk of missing World Cup with England

Former Manchester United star Paul Ince has urged Kobbie Mainoo to leave Old Trafford in January and has warned that the 20-year-old risks missing out on England’s 2026 World Cup squad if he continues to languish on the bench. The Carrington product was once considered one of United’s brightest prospects, but has endured a fall down the pecking order under Ruben Amorim.

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  England starlet frozen out under Amorim

  After 15 Premier League games this season, Mainoo has not started a single one and has accumulated just 183 minutes of action. The contrast to his breakout 2024 campaign, in which he impressed for both club and country, could not be sharper. His lack of involvement has left him increasingly disillusioned, with insiders revealing he is "deeply frustrated" by Amorim’s reluctance to play him. 

  Amorim insists Mainoo "deserves to be playing", but his selections continue to favour Casemiro’s experience and Bruno Fernandes’ influence, leaving the England midfielder sidelined. Reports indicate the United manager has been pushing Mainoo to improve out of possession, which has been the primary reason behind his omission. The tension reached a tipping point when Mainoo remained an unused substitute in the 1-1 draw with West Ham. Paul Scholes questioned the decision publicly. 

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  Ince advises Mainoo to leave Man Utd in January

  Speaking to, Ince insisted Mainoo must now consider a move where he can play regular football.

  "If I were in Mainoo's position, I’d be looking for a change of club in January," he said. "The World Cup would be my ultimate priority, and leaving Manchester United – permanently or on loan – appears to be the best option to secure a place in the England squad. When Mainoo first burst on the scene, everyone was raving about him; he was playing well for Manchester United and was getting minutes for England. But since then, something has happened, and I don’t know whether it’s the player or the manager, Ruben Amorim. Perhaps his rise happened too quickly, but whatever the reason is, the journey hasn’t been easy for him."

  The former midfielder believes this was the year Mainoo should have overtaken an ageing Casemiro.

  He said: "Given that last year Casemiro was coming under some pressure from the fans and he was clearly aging on the pitch, I thought this would be the season for Mainoo to take his shirt and cement himself into that starting line-up as one of Amorim’s key players. He'll also be conscious that Thomas Tuchel will be picking his England squad based on domestic playing time – which Mainoo isn’t getting much of."

• Napoli move gains momentum amid growing interest

  Mainoo has attracted interest from clubs across Europe, with Napoli among the most serious contenders. The Italian champions already have former United midfielder Scott McTominay and forward Rasmus Hojlund in their ranks, and are dealing with an injury crisis that has intensified their search for midfield reinforcements.

  Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna addressed the rumours and told : "He is a player who has been linked to Napoli since August, also for his age, his potential, and the transfer opportunity. This team is doing well, it is consolidated. We have some important absences right now, but sooner or later the lads will return, strong and determined. We have to make the right evaluations, so we'll see how things progress along the way."

  Speaking on the , Fabrizio Romano echoed the growing demand for Mainoo and said: "It’s normal that some of the clubs interested in Kobbie Mainoo. For example, Napoli hope for the possibility to get the player as soon as possible. They need players. Not only Napoli, but more than 10 clubs are interested in Kobbie. So let’s see what’s going to happen there. At the moment, there is still no green light from United, and unless the situation changes in the next days, everything depends on United or Ruben Amorim and on the timing of this story."

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  Is Napoli the ideal solution for Mainoo?

  A temporary spell in Naples could offer Mainoo regular starts and the chance to rebuild his confidence under the guidance of a demanding manager in Antonio Conte. Serie A has long been a proving ground for Manchester United players seeking redemption; from Romelu Lukaku to Chris Smalling and, more recently, McTominay. Now, Mainoo will be looking to follow in their footsteps.