ANALYSIS: Why Swapping Man United for Napoli Makes Sense for Kobbie Mainoo
Kobbie Mainoo’s talent is undeniable, but with limited minutes under Ruben Amorim, perhaps he should look to move on. Napoli may be the perfect option.
Once hailed as the future of Man United and England’s midfield, the 20-year-old has found himself on the fringes under Ruben Amorim, despite the club’s issues in the centre of the park.
Mainoo requested to leave the club on loan in the dying stages of the summer transfer window, with clubs across Europe interested in making it happen, but United turned down his request and he has played just 138 Premier League minutes since.
According to Sky Sports, Napoli, who were interested in the summer, will reignite their interest in January. Here is why leaving Old Trafford for the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium would make sense.
Where would he fit in under Antonio Conte?
Conte was typecast as a back-three manager, largely due to the immense success he had with the system during his time with Chelsea and Juventus, but at Napoli, he’s started to adapt his tactics. Perhaps Amorim could learn a thing or two.
This season, the Italian is largely playing either a 4-1-4-1 or a 4-3-3. With Kevin de Bruyne expected to be out until the new year at the earliest, Conte has used the latter in their three games without him.
Mainoo is a high-volume dribbler, he likes to have the ball at his feet, looking at last season’s numbers since he has barely featured in 2025-26, he completed 23 at a success rate of 47.9%.
He also times his runs into the box really well, having 44 touches in the opposition penalty area, the first Premier League goal in Man United 4-3 win over Wolves all the way back in February 2024 is proof of all of this.
So, looking at Napoli this season, Mainoo would play a similar role to that of Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa. The Cameroon international is key player under Conte, starting nine of their ten Serie A games so far, scoring four goals and providing one assist.
Like Mainoo, Anguissa is a powerful ball carrier who frequently makes his presence felt in the opposition box, having already completed seven dribbles and recorded 36 touches inside the penalty area.
Mainoo, however, is more effective at winning possession in advanced areas, regaining the ball 14 times in the final third last season compared to Anguissa’s 17, despite the latter playing over 1,000 more minutes than the Englishman.
A couple of familiar faces
One of the reason’s so many English players have turned down moves abroad in the past is because the cultures are so vastly different. That’s changed in recent years, and Napoli area bearing the fruits having signed Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund from United.
It’s hard to understate how much of a difference it makes knowing people when you move somewhere new. Maino having McTominay and Hojlund to show him around, introduce him to people brings an almost instant sense on familiarity.
What helps even more is how successful the two have been on the pitch. McTominay is arguably the best midfielder in Serie A, playing a pivotal role in their Scudetto win last season, while Hojlund has found his managed to rediscover some goal scoring form since joining in the summer.
Next year is a big one
The driving factor behind Mainoo’s loan request was that he’s worried about missing out on a place in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad next summer, and he should be. The midfielder hasn’t featured in a single one of Tuchel’s England camps since he took over at the start of the year.
Tuchel has addressed this, saying: “He’s lacking minutes. I don’t think he lacks anything else. He has the experience, the power, the quality, the talent to be on our list – he is on our list – but in his position No6, No8, No10 we have players in full rhythm and play key parts in their clubs.”
Now Mainoo, who started in England’s Euro 2024 final defeat to Spain, has the likes of Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton ahead him in the pecking order. That would likely change if he started playing some games.
Verdict
Mainoo is at an unexpected crossroads. With his current deal at Man United set to expire in 2027, with the amount of action he’s currently getting, he has absolutely no reason to sign a new contract.
Letting him leave, preferably temporarily to Napoli, a club that will have no games against United or will affect their season in any meaningful way, would be wise, at least to appease him in the short term.
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