Ruben Amorim has defended his limited use of Kobbie Mainoo so far this season in a heated press conference ahead of Manchester United’s trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night.
The Red Devils academy graduate is yet to start a single Premier League match during the 2025-26 campaign and he has only racked up 171 minutes of action in the competition so far this term.
Mainoo, who was a regular under previous boss Erik ten Hag and started for England in the 2024 European Championship final, has dropped down the pecking order this year and he has been widely tipped to leave Old Trafford in January.
The 20-year-old was linked with a number of clubs over the summer, including Napoli, however Man Utd blocked his request to secure a loan move before Deadline Day and he has been forced to play a bit-part role ever since.
Several teams are said to be interested in finalising a deal for Mainoo during the upcoming January transfer window and the Englishman is keen to depart Old Trafford in a late bid to be included in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the World Cup next summer.
Mainoo was an unused substitute for the fourth Premier League game so far this season in Man Utd’s 1-1 draw against West Ham United on Thursday, and Amorim delivered a spiky response when asked about his use of the England midfielder during his pre-match press conference ahead of their clash versus Wolves.
“I see it. I just want to win, I try to put the players, I don’t look who it is, I don’t care about that, I’m just trying to put the best players on the pitch,” Amorim admitted to reporters.
“You have [Manuel] Ugarte that played two games. One of them, Case[miro], was out, Bruno [Fernandes], he’s always fit, he’s the guy that is doing his position, so maybe it has to do with that.”
Amorim was then asked whether Mainoo will be rewarded with a more significant involvement when Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo depart for the Africa Cup of Nations later this month.
“I don’t know, I don’t know,” he replied. “It’s the same question, I don’t know what is going to happen, it depends, I’ve seen the training, if it’s the best thing for the team, I will put [him in], that is the only way I know how to respond to that.”
Amorim added: “Of course, I understand, and my job is to answer, but I’m trying to answer always the same thing, and you ask me always the same thing.
“I understand what you are saying. You love Kobbie, he starts for England. But that doesn’t mean that I need to put Kobbie [in] when I feel that I shouldn’t put Kobbie [in], so it’s my decision.”
Amorim was later quizzed on his reluctance to utilise Man Utd’s famed academy. “We have Kobbie Mainoo,” he bluntly replied.
When pressed on fellow youngster Shea Lacey and his lack of action, the Red Devils boss exclaimed: “But Lacey… in difficult situations? Sometimes when Bryan [Mbeumo] is not there, I put Amad, because I have other wing-backs to play, and sometimes it’s hard.
“So, you are asking me, why I don’t put Lacey to play, when I have other guys that are international, and also they are on the bench, so I try to put the best guys, the prepared guys, for this moment of the club, in trying to win the game. That’s the only thing.”
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