Maguire warns Mainoo would have left Man Utd if Amorim had stayed in charge

Harry Maguire has claimed that Kobbie Mainoo would have been sold by Manchester United had Ruben Amorim not been dismissed in January, revealing the extent to which the young midfielder was marginalised during the Portuguese coach’s time at Old Trafford.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Maguire explained that Amorim’s preferred 3-4-2-1 system left little room for Mainoo, with the manager prioritising Bruno Fernandes alongside a more defensive-minded partner in central midfield. “If Ruben was still the manager now, Kobbie would have probably been shifted on and be looking for a new club,” Maguire said. “It would have been a mistake because he’s a Manchester lad, he’s come through the academy and we want them players in our club to drive the club forward for the next 10 years.”

Mainoo did not feature in a Premier League starting line-up throughout Amorim’s entire tenure, and was even deployed as a striker during a home defeat to Crystal Palace in February 2025 as the manager struggled to find a role for him. The frustration had reached a point where Mainoo submitted a loan request in the final week of last summer’s transfer window, a move United rejected.

When interim manager Michael Carrick took over following Amorim’s departure, he immediately restored Mainoo to the starting XI. The 20-year-old responded with a run of performances strong enough to earn him a place in England’s squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Reflecting on the difficult period, Mainoo was measured in his assessment. “Obviously there were difficult times but I tried to keep my focus on what was in front of me, take things day by day and just keep working my craft,” he told reporters. “I hoped the rest would come. Thankfully it has.”

Maguire was unambiguous about what Mainoo’s continued presence means for the club’s future. “He has the ability to be at the club for the next 10 years,” the defender said, adding that losing an academy product of Mainoo’s calibre would have been a significant error of judgement.