Manchester United are getting ready for some chit-chat with Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee before the January transfer window, according to sources. Both players are feeling a bit down about not getting enough playing time under head coach Ruben Amorim. Mainoo wanted to leave Old Trafford on loan but United said no at the end of the summer transfer window. The 20-year-old hasn’t started in a Premier League game this season, and Zirkzee is in the same boat, only getting 74 minutes in three appearances. Mainoo has only managed 113 minutes in five games.
Mainoo, who played in England’s Euro 2024 final against Spain, fears he won’t make it into the squad for the World Cup because he’s not getting enough action. Zirkzee also knows he needs more game time if he wants a shot at making the Netherlands squad for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico starting in June. Napoli has shown interest in Mainoo, and there’s also buzz from the Premier League and Bundesliga. Zirkzee might be heading back to Serie A, but any move for either player needs the thumbs up from United.
It’s not just about playing time for Mainoo; there’s a bit of history at stake too. United haven’t had a homegrown player missing from a matchday squad since October 1937. Mainoo was the only one who qualified in the last game against Sunderland, so if he leaves, that could break the streak. Amorim wants to keep that tradition going, saying, “The past of Manchester United is built on kids. I don’t want to be the guy that breaks that.” So, talks are on the horizon before the January window if things don’t change for Mainoo and Zirkzee.
