Kobbie Mainoo: Man United agree new deal after major breakthrough
Kobbie Mainoo: Man United agree new deal after major breakthrough Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo has “verbally agreed” to a contract extension at Old Trafford after a fantastic return to form under Michael Carrick, according to the latest report. Mainoo Masterclass Despite having been frozen out by Ruben Amorim in one of the best examples of self-sabotage ever seen in English football, Mainoo was immediately reinstated to the starting eleven once Carrick took the reins in the wake of the Portuguese coach’s dismissal. In the 11 games the 21-year-old midfielder has played under the interim boss, United have won eight times, drawn twice, and lost just once.
It is the best run of form of any side in the Premier League in this period. The only match Mainoo was absent from, after picking up a minor knock in training, was the abject 2-1 home defeat to Leeds United – comfortably the worst performance of Carrick ‘s tenure. The importance of the Carrington graduate is demonstrated by a startling statistic which shows United have picked up an average of 2.
37 points per game with him starting – better than league leaders Arsenal’s record – while Manuel Ugarte ‘s inclusion has yielded just 0. 75 points per match, worse than relegation-threatened Tottenham Hotspur. Mainoo was imperious on Saturday night in the crunch clash with Chelsea as United emerged with a 1-0 win, despite an injury crisis having ravaged the defence.
In a post-match interview, Carrick said it was the best performance he had seen from the England international. INEOS are intent on building the team around Mainoo, who is seen as a cornerstone of the hierarchy’s project moving forward. One of the main priorities this summer is revamping the midfield with two new signings that are complementary to him.
Another urgent priority has been locking down the youngster’s future in M16 as his contract is set to expire next year, though the club retains the right to trigger an automatic twelve-month extension. The two sides have been locked in negotiations over recent months, having seen talks break down during the first half of the campaign with Amorim at the helm. There was confidence from both parties that a deal would be struck; it was simply a question of numbers.