Man Utd are ready to sign Mainoo’s perfect partner ASAP

Kobbie Mainoo may be fearing the worst at this summer’s World Cup, with England manager Thomas Tuchel looking set to pick anyone but the Manchester United midfielder for their opening win over Croatia.

There were no big surprises in Tuchel’s debut, however eyebrows were raised when Jude Bellingham was thrust into a deep-lying role to replace the withdrawn Declan Rice, alongside the Manchester City-bound Elliot Anderson.

More interesting was the subsequent decision to replace Reece James in a key role, following Bellingham’s withdrawal, raising questions about where Mainoo really lies in midfield.

That said, two years ago, the then-teenager played just four minutes in the team’s first two games at Euro 2024, yet went on to start every knockout game thereafter, including the final.

As he showed in 2025/26, the 21-year-old is no stranger to biding his time for an opportunity, quickly cementing his place as Michael Carrick’s go-to man in midfield.

Man Utd are hoping to close a quick deal to sign partner Mainoo

It was only a few months ago that Mainoo appeared set for a January loan move, amid his limited role under Ruben Amorim, who was the subject of interest from Chelsea last summer.

He has just signed a new long-term deal, the decision is now no longer whether he should stay or not, but rather the signing of a stadium that will serve him better after Casemiro’s departure.

The aforementioned Anderson looked to be a top target for INEOS, although the 23-year-old will be on his way to the Etihad, barring anything untoward.

That led United to pursue West Ham United’s Mateus Fernandes as a replacement, with Fabrizio Romano – speaking on his YouTube channel – revealing the Red Devils are “still pushing” to sign the Portuguese.

As for Romano, there is rival interest from Real Madrid, but it is United and Tottenham Hotspur who boast the financial strength as things stand, with the Premier League pair said to be willing to do a deal “quickly”.

A transfer insider said that while Spurs have entered the fray, INEOS are “continuing to work” on their pursuit, as talks appear to be ongoing over his reported £80m fee.

Why the signing of Fernandes will suit Mainoo

The legacy of Amorim’s time at United, his insistence on the 3-4-2-1 side, will be the Portuguese’s stubborn refusal to give Mainoo a prominent role, as the youngster looks unlikely to get a single Premier League season in the first half of 2025/26.

Since then under Carrick, the Stockport-born sensation has made his former manager look foolish, starting every game after that, apart from the loss to Leeds United.

His performance against Liverpool was undoubtedly the high point, although who can forget his incredible run, and the home run at Bournemouth, a moment that once again showed what a talent he is.

Another concern, as Amorim seems to have had, has always been Mainoo’s mobility and ability to cover space, although that could be where Fernandes proves to be important, similar to his work, his do-it-all style.

Part of the second midfield alongside the experienced Tomas Soucek at West Ham last season, the 21-year-old was everywhere at times, lighting a fire all over the park for the Hammers.

He has averaged 3.9 tackles and crosses per game in the top flight, alongside 5.1 possessions, surpassing Casemiro’s averages of 3.5 and 4.1 in those two same metrics, respectively.

You could argue that Mainoo still has that style of ball-winning talent similar to Manuel Ugarte, although that’s a combination that never really flourished, perhaps due to the Uruguayan’s woes in possession.

Although minutes were limited in 2025/26 for the 25-year-old, he only recorded a passing accuracy rate of 85%, while averaging 0.1 key passes per game, unable to shoulder the constant, creative burden on those around him, such as Mainoo.

Fernandes represents a significant improvement, so, in that sense, a young man who is very composed and controlled by management, but with that experimental quality in his game as well.

Indeed, he boasted a pass accuracy rate of 87%, while averaging one key pass per game, representing the type of player Mainoo can work with and feed off as part of the right partnership.

Carrick seemed to get the best out of Casemiro and Mainoo, but there were times when the central midfielder looked exposed, with neither man having the legs to keep up with the opposition.

Fernandes would represent the perfect addition to that, someone – unlike Ugarte – who can compete with Mainoo as an attacking threat, yet is also comfortable dropping deep, thus negating the need for the Englishman to always dictate where the proceedings are.

It would be somewhat risky to rely on two players who are only 21 years old, yet Carrick could be the ideal coach to help the pairing blossom into a fruitful, long-lasting one at Old Trafford.