Paul Scholes will be 'offended' if Manchester United sell 'brightest spark' Kobbie Mainoo - 'Ridiculous'
Updated 17/01/2025 at 10:42 GMT
Kobbie Mainoo's future remains uncertain amid a contract standoff. The 19-year-old reportedly wants improved terms, with his current deal not expiring until 2027. The England international came through the youth setup at Old Trafford and has established himself as a first-team regular. TNT Sports experts Paul Scholes and Karen Carney gave their thoughts on the situation.
'Absolutely ridiculous' - Scholes says he would be 'offended' if Man Utd sold Mainoo
Video credit: TNT Sports
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes says he will be "offended" if the club sells midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.
The England international’s future has become an intriguing point of discussion due to a reported stand-off in contract negotiations.
Despite having two-and-a-half years left on his current deal, Mainoo is seeking improved terms due to his rapid rise through the club to become not only a regular first-team player, but one of their most important.
Manager Ruben Amorim has challenged Mainoo to prove himself and recently told reporters: "I think you guys feel like he is the finished product – and he is not. He has so much potential to grow up even more."
Speaking to TNT Sports, Scholes agreed the teenager still has much room to develop, especially regarding his fitness.
"The one thing with Mainoo, he’s not had a lot of football this season," Scholes said.
"I think he needs to get into them last 15-20 minutes of games feeling fresh and still being able to play."
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‘They're a mid-table club’ – Scholes says Man Utd’s inconsistency will irritate Amorim
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However, when asked if United should be tempted to cash in on Mainoo while there is indecision from the youngster, Scholes said: "It’s ridiculous. He’s United’s brightest spark.
"He’s probably the leading man who could be here for the next 5-10 years."
United could reportedly be tempted to sell Mainoo in order to comply with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Homegrown players are worth 100% profit to the selling club, but Scholes thinks there are other options instead of offloading Mainoo.
The midfield icon continued: "I think United can probably get better than [Alejandro] Garnacho, although he’s a young player and there’s probably better to come.
"He’s still a little bit scruffy in his technique at times. I think his decision-making sometimes is really poor.
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Kobbie Mainoo is an England international
Image credit: Getty Images
"I wouldn’t be afraid or I wouldn’t be worried if they sold Garnacho, but Mainoo, I’d be offended by that."
Fellow TNT Sports pundit Karen Carney also feels uneasy about United being tempted by other clubs circling around one of their hottest prospects.
Carney said: "I don’t like the fact that you develop a young player that comes in and broke into the team now, and you sell him because he’s for profit for you, and that gets off the profit and sustainability.
"I hate that. I’m a bit of a purist. You’ve developed him through the academy and everyone’s worked really hard to get him there so I think I hate it.
"It would be a really, really bad move. He’s the key moving forward for Manchester United."
McCoist happy to offend Scholes on mainoo stance
Ally McCoist has taken a different view about Mainoo’s future and could understand why United may opt to let him leave Old Trafford.
"I hear what Scholesey’s saying but, yes, I’m about to offend him," McCoist said. "I think just about everybody is up for sale here.
"There has to be a bigger change in the Man United squad in the next 18 months, two years than perhaps there’s ever been. The manager’s come in. Has to be given a free reign."
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