Kobbie Mainoo Only Has to Look to Scott McTominay’s Renaissance as Inspiration For Proposed Napoli Move

By all accounts, Kobbie Mainoo is deemed surplus to requirements at Manchester United, and the 20-year-old is now pondering a departure from his boyhood club as early as January.

Kobbie Mainoo, who scored in United’s FA Cup final triumph and was awarded a nomination for PFA Young Player of the Year in 2023-24, now finds himself battling for scraps under Ruben Amorim.

That is in spite of the manager claiming Mainoo is a ‘starter’, but his biggest cameo this season last just 45 minutes, while his total playing time stands at just 183 minutes in the Premier League.

BeIN Sports presenter Richard Keys has claimed Amorim doesn’t believe Mainoo is “mobile enough”, and then questioned why he would start an ageing Casemiro in the exact same position.

For a player who appeared so instrumental to United two years ago, along with England at last summer’s Euro, Mainoo’s position has become untenable as his growth continues to be stunted.

The 20-year-old  is now actively pushing to try and secure a move away as early as January. Mainoo shares an agent with Napoli’s Billy Gilmour, and the Italians are positioning themselves to lure the United midfielder on an initial loan deal.

With Gilmour settling into life well at Napoli, there is plenty of inspiration to be taken, but it is former United teammate Scott McTominay who should inspire confidence in Mainoo’s proposed move to Campania.

Napoli Step Up Efforts For Kobbie Mainoo

Napoli are keen on offering Mainoo an escape from a hellish season, while the player himself has already expressed his interest in a move to Serie A.

Recent reports in Italy that a move hinges on Napoli’s ability to make room their squad, with forward Lorenzo Lucca’s loan deal expected to be cut short. Roma’s worrying lack of goals continues to threaten to derail their European push, and Lucca has been identified as a potential quick fix.

Napoli’s efforts to sign Mainoo have stepped up in recent weeks after losing Gilmour, Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, and Kevin de Bruyne to injury.

Mainoo to Reunite With Scott McTominay?

Kobbie Mainoo and former teammate Scott McTominay played 28 times together for United, having both graduated to the first team as Carrington youth products.

McTominay, much like Mainoo, found himself frustrated at dwindling minutes despite offering United a chance to nurture an academy graduate, and opted for a move to Napoli in the summer of 2024.

That move could not have been more romantic for the now-Serie A MVP, who has achieved cult status in southern Italy after his 12 goals helped Napoli to their fourth Scudetto. He has even been nicknamed”McFratm” (the literal translation of “McBrother”) by the fanbase.

This renaissance in Italy should inspire hope in Mainoo, whose qualities will be cherished by Napoli.

Similar to Gilmour, he has the ability to solely dictate the tempo of the game – a trait manager Antonio Conte typically relies on to control matches. In Mainoo’s breakout year, he averaged almost two successful dribbles, one long ball and over 85 percent pass completion per-match, which are the kind of qualities Napoli are missing with a host of midfield injuries.

With loanee Eljif Elmas and Stanislav Lobotka deputising alongside McTominay, there are plenty of avenues for Mainoo to break his way into Napoli’s midfield in the new year, should he choose to leave United.