Dimitar Berbatov has commented on the plight of Kobbie Mainoo, saying the English midfielder is in a "cruel situation" under Ruben Amorim's management. The ex-Manchester United forward spoke glowingly about the 20-year-old's talents, and questioned whether he should pursue a move away from Old Trafford to continue his development. Mainoo has started just one game in all competitions this season.
Berbatov heralds Mainoo's talent
Berbatov made the comments in an interview with . The Bulgarian striker was fan favourite at Old Trafford during his four-year spell at the club, with his beguiling touch and languid style demonstrating a level of confidence that bordered on arrogance. He sees many of those traits in Mainoo, whose talent he greatly admires.
The ex-Tottenham, Fulham and Bayer Leverkusen star also expressed sympathy towards a player who seemed to have the world at his feet just 15 months ago. Mainoo went from a young upstart, to a Manchester United regular and eventually a key cog in Gareth Southgate's England side that went to the finals of the European Championship over the course of the 2023-24 season. Amorim's apparent lack of trust in his ability to start games has been the first real roadblock in his ascent, but it has proven one to be almost impossible to traverse for the 20-year-old.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMainoo in a 'very tough situation' at Man Utd
Berbatov said: "It's a very tough situation, especially for a young player.
"It shows you how football can be a really cruel game at times because Kobbie Mainoo was playing, he reached the England national team, he was going up, up, and up. All of a sudden he is not being picked.
"Now the question is, does he stay positive, patient, and wait for his moment again? Or he needs to move to a different place to play regularly to get his confidence back and come back to United and start playing more regularly?
"I'd like to see him play because the talent is there to see, that decision-making, that calmness and arrogance which you need with the ball at your feet is there, even at his age. I like that. But at the moment, the manager doesn't see something he can use from the first minute of the game."
Mainoo's frustrating 2025-26 season so far
Mainoo's fall from favour under Amorim has seen his time on the pitch cut dramatically. During his breakout season in 2023-24, the highly-rated youngster finished the season with 21 consecutive starts in the heart of Erik ten Hag's midfield, bagging the winning goal in the Red Devils' shock upset of Manchester City in the FA Cup final.
A calf injury sustained in February, derailed the midfielder's momentum somewhat, but he still started 19 league games last year, with many of those appearances coming under Amorim following Ten Hag's dismissal.
This term, Mainoo has started just one fixture: United's embarrassing League Cup defeat on penalties to League Two minnows Grimsby Town. He has logged just 138 minutes in the league, making seven appearances from the bench. He was a unused replacement in United's 2-2 draw away to Forest last weekend, and did not travel to London as part of Amorim's match day squad to face Tottenham due to a knock.
AFPWill Mainoo push for a loan deal?
The 20-year-old requested to leave on loan in the summer transfer window, but the move was blocked by Amorim. The Portuguese suggested that Mainoo is competing for a spot with club captain Bruno Fernandes, making any chance of him finding regular minutes in the manager's rigid 3-4-3 formation seem increasingly unlikely. Recent reports suggest West Ham are willing to test Amorim's resolve, and will table a loan move in the January transfer window with the player's representatives again expected to request a temporary move away from Old Trafford.
The push for a loan move suggests that the academy graduate wants to remain attached to his boyhood club, but for how long will he remain committed to United if he cannot continue to develop as a player? A loan move would seem to make the most sense for all parties, but the longer this drags on, the more likely it is that Mainoo's long-term future lays outside of Manchester.
