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Homegrown heroes on the chopping block? Mainoo and Garnacho’s future uncertain at United

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Homegrown heroes on the chopping block? Mainoo and Garnacho’s future uncertain at United
Homegrown heroes on the chopping block? Mainoo and Garnacho’s future uncertain at United

New Delhi: Manchester United are open to hearing serious offers for any of Ruben Amorim’s squad, including homegrown talents Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, who were once deemed untouchable. The club is already working on the exit solutions for Marcus Rashford who has already said that he is ready for a new challenge and the next step. 

As of now, Man United are not actively seeking to sell the duo, but there is recognition from Sir Jim Ratcliffe that the Red Devils have been poor sellers. In order to achieve healthy squad management, the club needs to make sales, with finance limited because of profitability and sustainability rules.

Both Mainoo and Garnacho are among those who could represent pure accounting profit if they were ever to be traded, as homegrown talents would represent 100% profit under PSR. This means any credible bid for Mainoo and Garnacho will be counted alongside offers for any other player, including last summer’s signings Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui, Matthijs de Ligt, Manuel Ugarte, and Joshua Zirkee, as the squad is in transition under Ruben Amorim ashe seeks to fully implement 3-4-3 system and make new signings suited to the same.

Under Amorim’s predecessor, Erik ten Hag Mainoo and Garnacho were considered non-sellable. Though their condition is not the same like Rashford as both appear to form part of head coach Ruben Amorim’s plan despite Garnacho joining Rashford on the sideline as he was left out of the squad for the recent derby at Manchester City.

But there is surely uncertainty over Mainoo’s future at the club as Chelsea has discussed him, but the Blues have not yet ruled out a move for him, and their interest is yet to advance. Chelsea are currently looking to solidify their defence, and they are hoping they can buy back Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace.

What’s Mainoo’s and Garnacho’s contract situation?

 

Mainoo signed a contract with United in February 2023 and is reported to be worth £20,000 a week. His contract is set to expire in 2027 with a clause to extend it by 12 months. He has made 17 appearances for the club this season, and his status in the team has grown significantly. He played 41 times for the club and country last season, including starting in the FA Cup and Euro 2024 finals.

The 19-year-old scored the winner in last season’s United’s 2-1 FA Cup triumph over Manchester City and became a first choice for England at Euro 2024, where he started the last four games, including the final.

It is believed his current terms include in-built pay raises over time, but he is not among the team’s top earners, which is another factor that the club might consider selling him as the club has not yet initiated any fresh terms for Mainoo.

Well, Garnacho signed a new contract with the club back in April 2023 after scoring four goals for the first time and playing more than 30 games now which is set to expire in 2028. He has made a solid improvement afterwards and has grown in status, but his situation regarding leaving the club is not as pressing as that of others at United. 

Mainoo’s and Garnacho’s performance under Ruben Amorim

So far, he has played in eight games under Amorim but has taken time to establish himself as he started in the Portuguese manager’s 3-4-3 system. One reason is squad rotation, as Amorim feels that many players in United’s squad lack the physical strength needed to play his style of football for a full 90 minutes each week. 

Mainoo has started in five of Amorim’s nine Premier League games but has only played the full 90 minutes twice. There are also doubts about whether Mainoo, known for his technical skills and ball control but not elite athleticism, fits well in Amorim’s central midfield setup.



Although his performances against Manchester City and Liverpool suggest that he has the brain to pair well with another player willing to provide the brawn, a midfield partnership with Manuel Ugarte appears in the work, and if Mainoo manages to improve his progressive passing skills, he could help take United to another level.

On the other hand, Garnacho was dropped from United’s squad for the Manchester derby along with Rashford. Since then, he has made a handful of second-half appearances, but the 20-year-old has not established a favoured position in Amorim’s 3-4-3.

He has been rotated as one of the No. 10s and as a wing-back, but the teenager lacks some of the defensive nuances required to handle the entire flank himself. However, his direct running and ability to get shots away mean he will always hold appeal as an attacking option to come off the bench and test tired legs in the second half of the game.

Chelsea’s interest in Kobbie Mainoo

 

Chelsea admires Kobbie Mainoo and have identified him as a potential transfer target for the future. However, their interest remains exploratory at this stage, with no bids or advanced talks currently in place.

The Blues have a comprehensive list of players they are considering as part of their plans to fine-tune their squad not only for this season but also for upcoming years. While Mainoo’s talent as a young England international makes him a player worth monitoring, he is not considered an immediate priority for the January transfer window.

 

Chelsea’s midfield options are set to be bolstered with Romeo Lavia’s return from a hamstring injury. The club also plans to integrate Andrey Santos into the first team for the 2025-26 campaign, though the youngster has attracted significant interest across Europe during his loan spell at Strasbourg.

Who else could leave?

Manchester United spent around  £200m during the summer, and now, if they want to buy new players, they need to sell to reinforce at first-team level. Mainoo or Garnacho would add the benefit of representing ‘pure profit’ or close to it as they are academy players.

 


Selling Marcus Rashford would provide similar benefits and greatly reduce United’s wage expenses; however, there are few long-term buyers for him. At present, Borussia Dortmund is one of the teams looking into a loan option.

Casemiro is another one of United’s highest-paid players and is currently being monitored by Saudi Arabian clubs, but there is not a firm offer yet. The contract is set to expire in 2026. Joshua Zirkzee has been linked with an away move, but the 23-year-old wants to stay and fight for his place after a challenging start to the season.   

 Facing financial constraints, Manchester United may be forced to sell academy products Garnacho and Mainoo. How will Ruben Amorim’s squad rebuild be affected?  Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today

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