Manchester United legend Nicky Butt has described the current situation surrounding young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo as 'scary' as the England international continues to find himself out of favour under manager Ruben Amorim.
From Euro 2024 Star to Bench Warmer
The 20-year-old enjoyed a spectacular breakthrough season in 2023/24 under previous manager Erik ten Hag, making 32 appearances across all competitions while still a teenager. His impressive performances earned him a spot in the England squad for Euro 2024, where he eventually forced his way into Gareth Southgate's starting line-up and began the final against Spain.
However, Mainoo's progress has stalled dramatically since the arrival of Portuguese coach Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford. The midfielder has fallen down the pecking order, with all eight of his Premier League appearances this season coming as a substitute. In total, he has made just nine appearances in all competitions.
Butt's Stark Warning for United
Butt, who was academy manager when Mainoo came through the youth ranks, expressed deep concern about the player's lack of development after such a promising start to his career. 'I am worried about him because he's a superstar,' Butt told Sky Sports. 'He got into the England team at 18-19. He was one of the best performers at the Euros for us.'
The former United star delivered a particularly stark assessment of how the club is handling the situation. 'The scary thing for me is that if Kobbie Mainoo were playing for Crystal Palace, for example, Man United would go and buy him for £60–70 million, guaranteed,' Butt stated. 'So it is alarming that he's not playing a lot.'
Butt emphasised that he doesn't know the background reasons for Mainoo's limited involvement but stressed the player's undeniable talent and connection to the club, having joined the academy at age seven.
Amorim's Stance and January Uncertainty
The situation has become concerning enough that manager Amorim recently addressed the futures of his fringe players, with both Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee linked with potential loan moves in the January transfer window.
'The first thing is that the club comes first, so we have to think about the club and the team, and then everything can happen,' said Amorim. While acknowledging he understands player frustration, especially with the World Cup on the horizon, the Portuguese manager was clear that Manchester United's needs will always take priority.
Butt concluded with a heartfelt plea for his former club to support the young talent, stating: 'He's having a bad time at the minute and I can understand why. He's only a young man and he's going to need some help to get back to what he was and get his confidence back to where it was.'
