Ruben Amorim was ruthless and cold when discussing Kobbie Mainoo

Amorim made chillingly harsh statements about Mainoo's role and future at Man United.

Coach Ruben Amorim gave a blunt, even controversial, comment regarding Kobbie Mainoo, the young talent from Man United who is seeking a loan move in the January transfer window due to lack of playing time. Mainoo, 20 years old, has yet to start any Premier League matches this season and wasn't even brought on during the recent draw against West Ham. His only start this season was in the Carabao Cup, a humiliating defeat against fourth-tier Grimsby Town.

Speaking at the press conference before the Wolves match, Coach Amorim defended his decision to leave Mainoo out of the starting lineup and declared: “I understand the media loves Kobbie, he has started for England. But that doesn’t mean I have to play Kobbie when I don’t feel he should be on the field, that’s my decision.”.

“I just want to win. I choose the best players. I don’t care who they are, where they come from, or which national team they represent.”, Amorim added. “If I see him perform best in training, I will use him. But I don’t pick someone just because of their name or nationality.”.

When asked if some players leaving for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) might open opportunities for Mainoo, Amorim admitted: “I don’t know. It’s the same old question. I don’t know what will happen.”

According to The Athletic, Mainoo is currently “extremely frustrated” with his situation and wants to leave Old Trafford on loan in January. However, Man United has not yet made an official decision, preferring to wait until AFCON ends on January 18 to consider possible injuries to players returning from the tournament in Morocco.

Mainoo is a product of Man United’s academy and has appeared in 82 first-team matches across all competitions. He was once a major inspiration in United’s midfield, but under Amorim, Mainoo hasn’t even had a chance to play.

Man United legend Paul Scholes openly criticized Amorim, accusing him of “ruining” Mainoo’s career. In an Instagram story (now deleted), Scholes wrote: “The boy is being destroyed. Not playing in a team that can’t control games. I hate seeing homegrown players leave, but maybe now is the time. Enough is enough.”.

Mainoo was rumored to leave during the last summer transfer window but ultimately stayed. If he leaves, he reportedly prefers to play abroad, with Bayern Munich or Napoli among the clubs that have monitored him.

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