Ruben Amorim Sets Ronaldo, Rooney Challenge to Kobbie Mainoo Over Man Utd Future

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has pleaded for patience from midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, reminding the 20-year-old that even club legends like Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney have both had stints on the Old Trafford bench.

Mainoo has not started in the Premier League this season and, after seeing a loan request turned down during the summer, is expected to push for an exit once again in January. Another loan appears most likely but reports have suggested Mainoo could even look to leave permanently.

Tensions have reached a new level recently after Mainoo’s half-brother posed in a t-shirt which read “Free Kobbie Mainoo” during the recent 4–4 draw with Bournemouth—a stunt which left another former player, Roy Keane, thoroughly unimpressed.

“Kobbie needs to fight for his job,” Amorim stressed ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Aston Villa. “I think that it is not a bad thing to be on the bench of Manchester United when you are 20 years old.

”I remember Ronaldo was on the bench, Rooney was on the bench sometimes. [Juan Sebastián] Verón was not playing. I remember all the history of Manchester United and nobody ... So let’s continue in trying to avoid the nonsense and the noise. I just want to help the team win, to help Kobbie to be a better player.”

Amorim: No Agenda Behind Mainoo Role

Ruben Amorim, Kobbie Mainoo — Ruben Amorim (left) has faced plenty of questions on Mainoo. | Ash Donelon/Manchester United/Getty Images

Amorim’s use of Mainoo has come to be a defining aspect of his tricky Old Trafford tenure. The boss has repeatedly had to defend his preference for other players, arguing Mainoo’s status as an English academy graduate creates an unreasonable level of media attention.

Indeed, Amorim stressed that he is not trying to make any point through his limited use of Mainoo, who he encouraged to channel his frustrations into better performances on the pitch.

“I’m not trying to say to Kobbie, ‘You are a big player here, let’s put him on the bench to show something’,” he insisted. “No, no.

“What I’m saying is the opposite. I’m just not putting Kobbie sometimes because I understand that this is not the right guy to start the game. Maybe the next game, on Sunday, he is going to start.

“If he plays well, he’s going to show everyone. ‘This guy cannot take me from the team,’ and I will be so happy, so I don’t care. I don’t want to show nothing to anyone. I’m just saying that I’m trying to win games and to show to the players that if you do the things right, you will play no matter what the name.”

United are believed to be incredibly reluctant to sell a player whose impact on the team transcends his on-field ability. Mainoo is the last remaining academy graduate in Amorim’s senior squad and his departure would damage not only morale, but United’s bid to keep their 88-year streak of naming at least one homegrown player in every matchday squad.