Kobbie Mainoo transfer to Napoli ramps up – Fabrizio Romano | OneFootball

Manchester United are braced for a fresh approach from Napoli to sign Kobbie Mainoo in the January transfer window after an unfortunate twist for the Serie A champions, according to Fabrizio Romano.

A Failed Summer Move

Napoli are long-term admirers of Mainoo and made overtures towards signing him in the summer transfer window.

The Neapolitan club had already agreed a loan move for Rasmus Hojlund, who has enjoyed a resurgence in form under the tutelage of Antonio Conte, but were interested in striking a similar deal for his English teammate.

Mainoo has fallen down the pecking order under Ruben Amorim this season. The Portuguese tactician has preferred a midfield pivot of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes, opting for guile and experience over youth in his engine room.

But this decision was already evident at the beginning of the season, when the transfer window was still open, and it led Mainoo to push for an exit, with one eye on the World Cup next year in the United States.

The England international is desperate to secure his place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad.

But he knows he this is unlikely from the bench at Old Trafford, particularly with the ascension of Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest) and Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace) this season as alternatives for the Three Lions’ boss – two players who may set to also take Mainoo’s place at club level if reports are to be believed.

However, United refused Mainoo’s request, reaffirming the academy graduate was an important member of the squad who would have to stay and fight for his place under Amorim.

But this is a fight which puts the youngster in direct competition with Bruno Fernandes, with both players vying for the number eight role in Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system – and against the talismanic club captain, there was only ever going to be one winner.

As the season enters the quarter-way mark, Mainoo has only played 138 minutes of football in the Premier League. He is yet to start a game outside of the embarrassing exit to Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.

The only thing which feels more likely than Mainoo’s omission from the England squad next summer is the fact he will again push to leave United on loan in January to combat it.

And Romano reveals Napoli will be right at the front of the queue when the transfer window opens in the new year, given the disastrous injury to their statement summer signing, Kevin De Bruyne.

Napoli Step Up Hunt For A New Midfielder

The Serie A champions have made a habit in recent windows of offering out-of-favour United stars a refuge away from the Theatre of Dreams, evidenced by Scott McTominay’s Ballon d’Or nomination earlier in the year and Hojlund’s improved form this season.

“Antonio Conte believes he has tapped into a winning formula by offering frustrated, out of favour players at Old Trafford a new lease of life in southern Italy. Just as Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund have revived their careers, Napoli ‘will try again’ for Mainoo in January having shown interest in the 20-year-old this summer,” the Daily Mail reports.

But Romano contends Napoli’s drive for a new midfielder will “intensify” after it was revealed Kevin De Bruyne – the club’s statement signing over the summer – has suffered a serious hamstring injury.

The Belgian is expected to be ruled out for three to four months, while Frank Anguissa will depart over the winter period to represent Cameroon at the African Cup of Nations, escalating the importance of reinforcements.

As relayed by Football Transfers, Romano reveals Napoli have a range of options in mind, but that Mainoo is “recognised as their top target”.  And from Mainoo’s perspective, the Italian transfer expert claims the midfielder would be open to a loan switch to Naples.

It was a serious injury to Napoli’s frontman Romelu Lukaku which led the club to target Hojlund on loan, with great success. And it may now be a case of déjà vu in a different area of the pitch for Conte, using the same formula as the summer to fix the problem.

However, Romano reiterates United are not willing to sanction their midfield starlet’s exit, despite the player “pushing hard to convince them” to let him go.

Featured image Shaun Botterill via Getty Images

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