Bayern Munich ‘see opportunity’ to sign Man Utd star in January; team-mate’s agent talks down loan | OneFootball

Bayern Munich have seen an opportunity to sign Kobbie Mainoo from Man Utd in the January transfer window, according to reports.

The Red Devils have still not been impressing under Ruben Amorim this season but their 4-1 victory over Wolves on Monday night bumped them up to sixth in the Premier League table.

The Red Devils have only had to win seven of their 15 matches so far this season to end up sixth in the league, showing there is still a lot of room for improvement under Amorim.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS backed Amorim over the summer with Man Utd investing over £200m in five new players, including Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko.

After being the fifth lowest scoring side in the 2024/25 campaign, Man Utd prioritised improving their attack with many fans and pundits frustrated they failed to bring in a new midfielder.

With the area still being a problem, the Red Devils are set to bring a player in that position over the January transfer window, which could lead to Mainoo leaving Old Trafford.

Amorim made it clear publicly that Mainoo would be fighting it out with captain Bruno Fernandes for a position in the Man Utd starting XI this season.

That led to Mainoo attempting to engineer a loan move before the summer deadline before Man Utd director of football Jason Wilcox convinced the youngster to stay.

However, Mainoo hasn’t started a Premier League game this season and there are rumours he now wants to leave Man Utd in search for regular game time before the 2026 World Cup in the summer.

Richard Keys claimed earlier this week that he knows the real reason why Amorim isn’t playing Mainoo, he said in his blog: “I learned at the weekend why Amorim won’t play Mainoo, who sadly will leave United now – probably in January.

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“Amorim believes he can’t get round the pitch – that Mainoo isn’t mobile enough. I’ve heard some baffling nonsense from this generation of coaches (I give you Wilfried Nancy after Celtic’s defeat to Hearts) and this is right up there. Not mobile enough? So Amorim picks Casemiro instead? If it wasn’t so sad it would be laughable.”

And now Spanish website Fichajes insists that German giants Bayern Munich ‘see an opportunity’ to sign Mainoo in the January transfer window.

His £80m market value is said to be ‘manageable for a club that has historically focused on developing young players with room to grow’ as they continue to ‘closely monitor’ the England international.

Compared to other rumoured interested clubs, Tottenham and Man City, Bayern Munich’s structure ‘could guarantee him a more direct path to a starting position, something crucial for a player who needs consistent playing time immediately’.

The report adds: ‘For Kobbie Mainoo, choosing his next destination is crucial. He wants a project where he can grow, compete, and take on responsibilities, and that’s where Bayern Munich has the advantage. The German club is seriously considering turning its interest into a formal offer, convinced that the Englishman could become a key midfielder in the coming years.’

Diego Leon, who signed in the summer from Cerro Porteno, has also been linked with a loan move away from Man Utd ahead of the winter transfer window.

He is yet to make a first-team appearance for Man Utd but his agent Renato Bittar insists the Paraguayan is “living exactly what we planned” at Old Trafford.

The representative insists that interrupting this season “would not be ideal” for the 19-year-old and his minutes for the Under-21s at Old Trafford has had a “positive” impact on Leon’s development.