Shock Arsenal transfer plans revealed for wantaway Man Utd star in unexpected January deal | OneFootball

Arsenal could make a January transfer window move to sign Man Utd midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, according to one respected journalist.

The England international is yet to start a Premier League match this season with Mainoo making nine appearances off the bench in the league.

Mainoo was afforded a start in his one other appearance in their League Cup defeat to Grimsby Town with Ruben Amorim not seeing him as a regular starter.

The Man Utd midfielder attempted to leave before the end of the summer transfer window after Amorim made it clear publicly that he would be fighting captain Bruno Fernandes for his place in the side.

That led Mainoo to seek a loan move elsewhere in order to guarantee first-team football but Man Utd director of football Jason Wilcox talked him into staying.

Chelsea and other Premier League sides have been linked with a potential move for Mainoo ahead of the winter transfer market – but ESPN journalist Mark Ogden is tipping Arsenal to make a short-term offer for the Englishman.

Speaking on the ESPN FC podcast, Ogden said: “United would prefer to keep him, I guess, but as we know, United are happy to let players go, our homegrown players.

“PSR situations, it happened with Garnacho in the summer to Chelsea. So I think Kobbie Mainoo will have an interesting window.”

Ogden added: “I don’t think he will go to Arsenal, but I think he’s a player that Arsenal could look at if they were getting to the end of the window and they did a short-term option to be a cover option for Martin Odegaard.”

He also doubled down on his stance on the ESPN website with Arsenal potentially needing more cover with Max Dowman perhaps unable to play too many games.

Ogden wrote: “Max Dowman will develop into a creative midfielder, but the teenager does not turn 16 until Dec. 31, so Arteta cannot rely on the youngster to fill the void if Odegaard misses out.

“But with Arsenal stacked in all areas and the club having spent big in the summer, the best option in January could be a short-term loan move for a player with the ability to stand in for Odegaard, but also with the knowledge that he will only be a Plan B for when the captain is sidelined.

“Options will be limited because of the calibre of player required, but domestically, Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo, who linked impressively with Declan Rice for England at Euro 2024, might be available, but only if United can find a replacement for the unsettled 20-year-old.”