Ruben Amorim claims Kobbie Mainoo is 'uncomfortable' in fight for Man Utd spot - but suggests midfielder could become world's best with Vitinha comparison

Just over a year ago, Mainoo was the name on everyone's lips. After a breakthrough 2023-24 season at Manchester United, during which he made 32 appearances, the Stockport-born midfielder became undroppable for England at Euro 2024, starting in both the semi-final and final. But Mainoo has become somewhat of an afterthought under Amorim. The head coach revealed that the youngster is "uncomfortable" in his current situation.

From being one of the first names on the team sheet under Amorim's predecessor Erik ten Hag, Mainoo has lost his spot in the XI, starting none of the opening three Premier League games and making just one appearance off the bench. 

When asked by reporters how Mainoo is reacting to the situation, Amorim said: "He’s not used to fighting for his place, maybe. He’s uncomfortable, but he’s a very good kid. He wants to learn. Sometimes it’s hard to push different things from the players."

After being reminded of Mainoo's credentials and contributions to the Red Devils, Amorim made a comparison with Vitinha, who is often considered as one of the best midfielders in the world at the moment. "I remember Vitinha was not playing for Wolverhampton,” Amorim responded. "Nowadays, you can see that Vitinha is maybe the best midfielder in the world. So you never know. Something can happen sometimes.

"The way I play is completely different from the last manager. I watched a lot of games from the Premier League in Portugal. You can feel then that Manchester United really [played in] transitions. He was the only guy that calmed down the game. Now we have other players that calm down the game.

"Sometimes I expect more from Kobbie Mainoo. Sometimes, maybe if I start [him] more, Kobbie Mainoo is going to play and he’s going to get hard to take out. I need to go with what I’m feeling at the moment and that is the only feeling. He’s starting the final of the European Championship in a team that has a lot of talented players – [Phil] Foden played that game, [Cole] Palmer was on the bench. He was playing. I know all that, but sometimes I have a different way of seeing the game."

In the final few days of the transfer window, Mainoo's future was subject to a lot of speculation. The England international is said to have demanded a move away from Old Trafford after it was evident he wouldn't be important to Amorim's plans for the 2025-26 season. Several teams expressed their interest in the midfield metronome. Indeed, rumours suggested that Premier League rivals Tottenham enquired about the availability of signing Mainoo. Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, too, were considering a potential last-minute loan move. However, it was his links to Napoli which garnered the highest attention. Ultimately, none of those moves came to fruition as United blocked a loan departure.

Mainoo seems adamant on finding an exit route away from Manchester. Having starred for the Three Lions at last summer's European Championship, Mainoo will have his eyes set on nailing a place in Thomas Tuchel's squad for next year's World Cup. Reports indicate that he could depart the club in January, but things could yet change if he manages to convince Amorim of his abilities in the system the Portuguese manager is insistent on using.