Man Utd transfer news: Kobbie Mainoo Napoli move 'edging closer' thanks to two key factors

Napoli are making progress in their efforts to lure Kobbie Mainoo away from Manchester United in the January transfer window, according to a report.

The England international asked to leave the Red Devils on loan during the last knockings of the summer window, having become frustrated by his bit-part role under Ruben Amorim.

Mainoo's request was refused, but the 20-year-old's situation has not improved, and his only start in any competition this season came in Man United's embarrassing EFL Cup second-round loss to Grimsby Town.

The midfielder is still waiting to make a first XI in the Premier League during the 2025-26 campaign, was an unused substitute in the weekend's 2-2 draw away to Nottingham Forest, and has played just 138 minutes of top-flight football all season long.

With his England place at the 2026 World Cup under serious threat, Mainoo is expected to push for another temporary departure over the winter, and Serie A champions Napoli are seen as the leading contenders for his signature.

Napoli 'aggressively pushing' for Man United's Kobbie Mainoo

Antonio Conte is understood to be desperate to bring Mainoo to Naples for the second half of the campaign, and according to TEAMtalk, the former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur head coach may soon be granted his wish.

The report claims that the Italian champions are 'aggressively pushing' for Mainoo's loan signing in January, and the England international's switch to Serie A is finally edging 'closer to reality' thanks to Napoli's efforts.

Two key factors could potentially twist Man United's arm; Napoli are reportedly willing to cover Mainoo's £45,000-a-week salary in full, as well as agreeing to an option to buy the midfielder at the end of the season.

Partenopei president Aurelio de Laurentiis is supposedly also discussing how Mainoo would work in Conte's system with the recruitment team, and the Englishman's entourage are also in advanced talks with Napoli over a mid-season transfer.

However, Man United are not prepared to let Mainoo leave without securing a replacement, and discussions at Old Trafford on how to cover for the 20-year-old's potential loss have 'accelerated'.

Can Man United afford to lose Kobbie Mainoo in January?

It is easy to sympathise with both Amorim and Mainoo in this situation - the former cannot fathom weakening his squad in January, while the latter is desperate for regular starts during a World Cup year.

However, the Red Devils also have the Africa Cup of Nations to think about, as they will lose Bryan Mbeumo for as long as Cameroon are in the tournament, meaning that Bruno Fernandes could be pushed forward into a more advanced role.

Such a move would open up another space in midfield alongside Casemiro, which Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte should battle fiercely for, but the former could face competition from a compatriot.

Moves for Sporting Lisbon's Morten Hjulmand and Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson in January are unrealistic, but the Red Devils could very well strike a deal for Atletico Madrid's Conor Gallagher, who is in exactly the same boat as Mainoo.

As a result, if Man United are successful in luring Gallagher to Old Trafford, they should not stand in Mainoo's way of a move to Serie A, where he would link up with another Red Devils graduate in the rejuvenated Scott McTominay.