Ruben Amorim flirting with breaking golden Man Utd rule as £50m transfer on the cards

Ruben Amorim flirting with breaking golden Man Utd rule as £50m transfer on the cards

Ruben Amorim's lack of trust in Kobbie Mainoo has seen the England international look for a £50million move to Serie A, and his transfer would mean the end of an era at Manchester United

Ruben Amorim could be the manager who breaks a long-standing Manchester United record (Image: Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

Ruben Amorim is on the verge of breaking a Manchester United golden rule that has lasted almost 90 years. Woven into the fabric of the Red Devils’ history and club culture is the production line of academy talents into the first team.

‌

Following the countless names to make the step, the Class of ‘92 were the most famous group of players to ascend, having a seismic impact on English football. Even in the period since those glory years, England internationals like Danny Welbeck, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford showed that Carrington can still produce high-quality youngsters.

‌

As such, United have managed to maintain an astonishing tradition that is the envy of rival clubs, by including an academy graduate in every first-team squad since October 1937. However, that record now appears vulnerable.

‌

Kobbie Mainoo transfer twist as Man Utd nervously wait for update after Burnley clash READ MORE:

Ruben Amorim makes damning Man Utd assessment to defend two stars after latest errors READ MORE:

Following Rashford’s move to Barcelona, Alejandro Garnacho’s Chelsea transfer and veteran Jonny Evans’ retirement, Kobbie Mainoo is one of the only players in the current squad to have come through the academy alongside Harry Amass and Tyler Fredricson - and was the only one who featured in Saturday's 3-2 win over Burnley.

But even the 20-year-old has now been linked with an exit due to Amorim’s lack of faith in the midfielder. Mainoo was once considered a key component of United's future due to his performances over the last two seasons.

The youngster racked up an impressive collection of wonder goals and earned his England debut just over a year ago. He also claimed the man of the match performance in United's FA Cup final victory over Manchester City in 2024 after scoring the winner.

‌

But, under Amorim, Mainoo has started just 16 games over the past two seasons. Having been left on the bench for two successive Premier League matches, Mainoo finally played in Wednesday's EFL Cup penalty shootout defeat at Grimsby.

He had not played a minute of Premier League football this season before coming on as a half-time substitute in the 3-2 win over Burnley on Saturday. That led to frustration on the youngster’s part.

Kobbie Mainoo is open to leaving boyhood club Manchester United in a £50million deal (Image: Jacques Feeney/Getty Images)

‌

It was recently reported that Serie A champions Napoli were interested in offering the £50million-rated Mainoo a four-year contract. Having seen former United team-mate Scott McTominay make the same move 12 months ago and enjoy huge success, Mainoo reportedly told United bosses he wants to leave on a permanent deal ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline.

Despite United’s negotiations over an extension to his current contract having stalled, the club opted to block his move to Serie A. And Amorim has been vocal about his desire for Mainoo to stay and fight for his place in the team, showing his reluctance to part ways with the team’s last academy graduate.

The Portuguese said in his press conference ahead of the clash with Burnley: "I want Kobbie to stay. He needs to fight for his place. And we need Kobbie, so that is not going to change.

‌

“I understand that the players that are not playing in this moment are disappointed. Everyone will have the same opportunity to play. You have to fight during the week."

While a section of fans have expressed concern on social media over United’s long-standing tradition potentially coming to an end, some are unfussed, believing the team’s performances should be a priority.

Should Mainoo get his last-minute move to Napoli, United would still have veteran goalkeeper Tom Heaton among their ranks to select for the matchday squad in order to preserve the tradition.

Article continues below

But the 39-year-old, who featured for the academy between 2002 and 2005, is currently behind Andre Onana and Altay Bayindir in the pecking order, while United are reportedly eyeing a last-minute deal for either Emi Martinez or Senne Lammens, meaning the record is likely to be broken with Mainoo’s departure - unless a new academy starlet suddenly emerges.

Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Click here to read article