Man Utd scouts wowed by two exhilarating midfield targets as ‘free Kobbie Mainoo’ plea hits dead end | OneFootball

Manchester United have a number of top midfield talents on their radar ahead of the January transfer window, but two less-heralded stars remain in the mix for a switch to Old Trafford, as TEAMtalk can reveal.

Red Devils transfer chiefs are expected to be active in January to provide Ruben Amorim with stronger midfield options in particular, although they are not expected to spend the sort of money they did over the summer.

High-profile names like Adam Wharton, Elliot Anderson and Conor Gallagher continue to be tipped to make the switch to Old Trafford, but Man Utd scouts have also been hunting other quality targets…

Man Utd have eyes on two more Bournemouth stars

Manchester United have been watching Bournemouth very closely this season, not just for Antoine Semenyo, who they remain very keen on amid news of his £65million January exit clause.

Midfielders Tyler Adams and Alex Scott both stood out during analytical studies by United’s footballing department. Indeed, our insider, Graeme Bailey, can confirm both players have also impressed Red Devils’ scouts when watching them in action.

The interest for Adams emerged via analytic and scouting, but has been backed up by his previous relationship with current United director of recruitment, Christopher Vivell.

Adams found his best form at RB Leipzig whilst Vivell was technical director and he oversaw his move to Leeds United.

Scott, meanwhile, has emerged on United’s radar following his hugely successful spell with England’s Under-21s – where he starred alongside Elliott Anderson in the summer.

Whilst Anderson, Adam Wharton and Carlos Baleba remain the most admired by United, they are doing work on other midfield options ahead of a potentially busy 2026.

United sources insist it is not a ‘B’ list that Adams and Scott find themselves on, more just alternative options, something they point out they do with every position they consider.

Man Utd ignore calls to ‘free Kobbie Mainoo’

Sources can confirm Kobbie Mainoo has been told by Manchester United that he will not be sold in the January window, despite clear signs that his relationship with the club is becoming strained amid controversial scenes during the Monday Night Football.

The England midfielder’s current plight is attracting plenty of attention, with Mainoo once again starting the dramatic 4-4 draw with Bournemouth on the bench before being introduced just after the hour mark.

The game actually saw his half-brother, Jordan Mainoo-Hames, wear a ‘free Kobbie Mainoo’ T-shirt at the stadium, with the incident causing a real stir on social media.

Napoli are big admirers of the player, while Bayern Munich and a host of Premier League clubs are also being linked with a winter swoop.

However, United are standing their ground when it comes to an imminent Mainoo exit, with director of football Jason Wilcox conveying the club’s stance to the player and his camp after a meeting in the past week. Indeed, there are still those within the Old Trafford hierarchy who believe Mainoo still has a long-term future at the club.

As it stands, United have told Mainoo, whose current deal runs until 2027 but with an option to extend to 2028, that they will assess his situation at the end of the season.

Amorim exit; Fernandes rant; Guehi offer

In other news, ‘a team of five elite reporters on X’ are claiming that Ruben Amorim will not be in charge of Manchester United next season, with club chiefs deciding that he is not the right man to take the club forward.

However, as our sources confirmed at the start of the month, along with a post from David Ornstein on X, the Red Devils fully believe that the Portuguese tactician will turn things around.

Elsewhere, Bruno Fernandes has followed hot on the heels of Mohamed Salah publicly slamming Liverpool boss Arne Slot by launching a rant at Manchester United’s and even his teammates, with sources shedding light on why a painful exit in 2026 could well be on the cards.

And finally, sources can confirm that United are on a list of as many as 13 clubs who have reached out to Marc Guehi’s camp over a free-transfer move to Old Trafford in 2026.

The 25-year-old came very close to joining Liverpool on deadline day of the summer window, only for Palace to pull the plug when they missed out on a replacement.

While Manchester City are also now firmly in the mix, we can reveal that United are also ready to offer terms, if they are presented with an opportunity.