Chelsea lead 12-club race to sign promising Premier League player | OneFootball

Manchester United’s highly-rated young midfielder, Kobbie Mainoo, has become a key player in the rumour mill due to a lack of consistent game time at Old Trafford.

Major European clubs, including Chelsea, are closely monitoring his situation.

Mainoo is reportedly eager for a move to secure more game time to bolster his chances of making the England squad for the 2026 World Cup. He is actively seeking a fresh challenge to accelerate his development.

Kobbie Mainoo prefers Napoli

Although at least 12 clubs are reportedly in the race, sources close to the situation have informed CaughtOffside that Chelsea and Bayern Munich are “leading the chase”. However, the player’s personal preference list still places Napoli as the frontrunner. Mainoo is prioritising where he can be a guaranteed starter as he plots his next move.

Scott McTominay has done quite well at Napoli, leaving Manchester United, and the 20-year-old midfielder is looking to follow in his footsteps. Napoli will be able to provide him with regular opportunities, and he will be able to work with a world-class manager like Antonio Conte at the Italian club.

Mainoo is a promising player with a bright future, and he could develop into a key player for Napoli with the right guidance. It will be interesting to see if the Italian club can get the deal done.

Chelsea could use Mainoo

Kobbie Mainoo warming up for Man Utd (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Chelsea are among the clubs leading the race to sign the player. They need more control in the middle of the park. The Manchester United player is well settled in English football, and he could make an immediate impact. He could complement the likes of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo. The youngster has the quality to complete their midfield for the foreseeable future.

It will be interesting to see if they can convince Manchester United to sell. They are looking to build a formidable team for the future, and the England International midfielder could be the final piece of the puzzle for them.