Manchester United transfer news: Former Premier League manager 'desperate' to sign Ruben Amorim 'outcast' in January window

Napoli are reported to be desperate to bring Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo to the club in the January transfer window.

The Red Devils were unable to win a fourth consecutive game when they played Nottingham Forest on Saturday, drawing 2-2 with in a match that they could have easily lost.

Midfielder Casemiro opened the scoring for the team against Forest, finding the back of the net thanks to an excellent delivery from captain Bruno Fernandes.

Manager Ruben Amorim has made the duo his first-choice pair in his double pivot, but they have often been selected ahead of talented youngster Mainoo.

The Englishman has consistently been linked with an exit in the January window, and The Mirror report that Napoli boss Antonio Conte is keen to bring him to Italy in the winter, with a view to making any transfer permanent in the summer.

Serie A: Can Napoli rehabilitate latest Manchester United reject?

Though Mainoo has struggled to impress in the limited minutes he has been afforded under Amorim, there are numerous cases of players excelling away from Old Trafford.

Marcus Rashford has arguably been Barcelona's best player this campaign, scoring five goals and providing five assists in 13 games.

Scott McTominay made the switch to Napoli in the summer of 2024, and he was voted the best player in Serie A in 2024-25, with the Scotsman a key part of the club's title win.

Rasmus Hojlund joined Conte in Italy in the summer, and he has already scored four goals in just seven matches, whereas he netted 10 in 52 games for United in 2024-25.

Is Ruben Amorim wasting Kobbie Mainoo's talent?

Manchester United are far from the perfect outfit in the middle of the pitch, with the dynamic between Casemiro and Fernandes still flawed despite the club's improved form of late.

While Mainoo could encounter challenges of his own in midfield, there is an argument that United are not in a position to demand perfection, given their struggles in recent seasons.

Perhaps Amorim is more comfortable selecting the likes of Fernandes and Casemiro as he feels under pressure to secure European football this term, and with Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City all experiencing difficulties, there could be an opportunity to sneak into the top four.

Despite potential pressure to deliver immediate success on the pitch, the continued exclusion of Mainoo is still perplexing.

Written by
Lewis Nolan