Man Utd locked in Kobbie Mainoo contract stalemate

Per The Sun, United have yet to open talks with Mainoo over a new deal. The England international's current contract runs until 2027, and the report claims he requested to leave the club on loan in the summer. He had not started a single game under Ruben Amorim, but has returned to the starting XI under Carrick, since the ex-Tottenham and United midfielder was appointed as interim head coach. United do have the option to trigger an extension in Mainoo's contract for another year.

While the midfielder is not yet the finished article, Carrick is purposefully holding back on lecturing the youngster. The manager believes that after such a taxing mental period, the best coaching intervention is often no intervention at all, allowing a "huge talent" the space to breathe and find his natural flow without the fear of immediate replacement.

Carrick has talked up the potential of the young midfielder, as the season progresses. 

"I've known Kobbie a long time. I started working with him when I think he was 13 or 14, when I was starting to do my coaching badges - a good few years ago," he told BBC Sport. "Just little bits. And then, obviously, when I was here the first time, he was in and around a little bit.

"So I think knowing him and having experience with him and seeing him perform at such a level on such big occasions... I said earlier about coaches being able to cope with being here and at the level to deal with it. What Kobbie's done at such a young age is quite incredible really.

"We forget how young he still is. I was just a big fan of watching him play and knowing what he was capable of. So it wasn't really a big decision to play him. And, to be fair, it's not easy when you haven't played to find your rhythm and find your form. There are things he can get better at, things he can improve on, but we haven't really got started on any of that because we're just letting him go and find his flow."

"I've been really conscious of not giving him an awful lot—a couple of little pointers, a bit of positional things and some little bits here and there - but trust in what he is. He's a fantastic footballer and he's got a huge talent."

Mainoo has won 10 caps for England but has yet to play under new manager Thomas Tuchel. He last played for his country under caretaker boss Lee Carsley, when the Three Lions beat the Republic of Ireland 2-0 in September of 2024.

The German tactician has opened the door to the midfielder returning, however. 

He said: "It is great that [Mainoo] is back on the pitch. He is such a huge talent," Tuchel said while attending the UEFA Nations League draw.

"He has played already a tournament from start to finish for England, so he is back in the picture, so is Luke Shaw and so is Harry [Maguire].

"There are some players suddenly back in the picture, they play a back four now and play with a different style which is a bit easier to translate to our structure at the moment. It's good competition."

England face Uruguay and Japan in upcoming World Cup warm-up fixtures in March; at the tournament, they will play Croatia, Ghana, and Panama in Group L at the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.