Bayern Munich is reportedly eyeing a move for Manchester United’s rising star, Kobbie Mainoo, as Chelsea also vies for the 19-year-old’s signature. The young midfielder’s future at Old Trafford remains uncertain,with transfer rumors swirling as the club navigates financial challenges.
Mainoo, once considered one of Manchester United’s untouchable talents alongside Alejandro Garnacho, now finds himself at the center of a potential bidding war. With the club’s financial struggles, no player seems immune to being priced for a transfer.
According to reports, Chelsea has positioned itself as a front-runner in the race to sign Mainoo.The teenager is said to be “unhappy” with the initial contract terms proposed by INEOS, as revealed by sources. Currently earning £20,000 per week—a stark contrast to Casemiro’s £350,000 weekly wage—Mainoo is reportedly seeking a salary closer to £200,000, reflecting his growing importance to the team.
Manchester United’s manager, Ruben Amorim, addressed the speculation surrounding Mainoo and Garnacho following the team’s penalty shootout victory over Arsenal. Amorim expressed his desire to retain the promising duo, stating, “I really love my players. I want to keep my players, especially the talented ones.”
He continued, “It’s a special moment in this club, it’s a hard moment, but, of course, I’m really happy with Kobbie, he’s improving, and also with Garna. our idea is always to keep the best players and the players that we build for this club. We know the position that the club is in at the moment, but we will see. I’m very happy, I like our players, especially the guys from our academy.”
While united remains confident that their academy graduate won’t seek an exit, Bayern Munich is reportedly preparing to join the race for Mainoo. Alongside Chelsea, the German giants are said to be long-term admirers of the midfielder and are planning to make a move if he becomes available.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has sought to reassure Manchester United fans, emphasizing that Mainoo is “happy” at Old Trafford and not eager to leave. In his Daily Briefing,Romano explained,“We’ve had many stories in recent days about the future of Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United. He remains an significant player for the club, which Ruben Amorim has confirmed publicly in his recent press conference. So,why this situation with Mainoo’s contract still not being signed? Already one year ago,January-February 2024,Man United tried to extend Mainoo’s contract,but then the whole structure changed.”
Romano added,“There have been plenty of changes internally at manchester United,which means it’s different people negotiating the contract. This can be complicated when there are still critically important details to clarify and finalise. Still, United are relaxed about the situation. They are negotiating and they believe everything is under control, even if there are points to clarify in this new conversation. Mainoo is happy at Manchester United and not desperate to leave at all, so conversations are ongoing to resolve his future at Old Trafford.”
