Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United have reportedly set conditions to sanction Kobbie Mainoo’s departure mid-season.

According to Pete O’Rourke via Football Insider, Manchester United will only let Kobbie Mainoo leave the club in the winter transfer window if they manage to sign a like-for-like replacement. While the Red Devils would ideally like to see him continue at the club, the player continues to push for a move away as he seeks a more prominent role.

Mainoo has come up the ranks at Old Trafford. He got promoted to their first team at the start of 2023 and was a constant feature in the team under Erik ten Hag. However, the arrival of Ruben Amorim has seen the Englishman go down the pecking order.

The Portuguese tactician feels the 20-year-old needs to better understand his role in his system. Meanwhile, the Manchester United even informed the youngster that he would be directly competing with Bruno Fernandes for a place in the starting lineup.

Since Kobbie Mainoo was not going to have a prominent role in the team, Mainoo pushed for a move away during the summer. Newcastle United were keen on his signature, but the Red Devils blocked a potential exit. His current deal runs until 2027, and Manchester United do want him to continue at the club.

However, the young midfielder does not have a prominent role in the team and with the World Cup coming up next summer, Mainoo is determined to play regular first-team football to increase his chances of making it to Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the main event.

Pete O’Rourke’s take on Kobbie Mainoo’s future

While speaking on the Inside Track podcast, O’Rourke said, “If he’s not playing regularly under Ruben Amorim, he might be keen on a move away, which was seemingly the case this summer.

“I just think it’s a difficult deal to do because United don’t really want to lose him. And obviously if United are to sanction a move from him, it would only be if they could bring in a replacement in midfield. I think as things stand right now, Man United are counting on Kobbie Mainoo and they expect him to remain at Old Trafford.”

Mainoo pushing for an exit

Kobbie Mainoo has only had 76 minutes of first-team action in the Premier League, and he is clearly not happy with his role. The 20-year-old could once again look to leave the club in January, and there certainly won’t be any shortage of interest in him.

While Manchester United want the English international to continue at Old Trafford, they would be willing to sanction his departure on one condition. They would let him leave if they find a top-quality replacement. They will only consider sanctioning his departure if they find a like-for-like replacement.

A lot will depend on how much game time Mainoo gets until the end of the season, and Ruben Amorim’s future at Manchester United might also have a big say on the 20-year-old Englishman’s future.