Chelsea are said to be ahead in the race to sign Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo should he refuse to sign a new deal at Old Trafford.
Aged only 19 and signing a four-year deal in 2023, he is currently the lowest-paid member of United’s senior squad at £20,000 per week. While United is keen to tie down his long-term future, discussions around a new deal have been slow moving and that has raised concerns over Jones’ potential availability.
A report from The Daily Mail claims that Chelsea view Mainoo as a potential star for the future and are keeping an eye on his situation. Having previously been declared ‘untouchable’ by United, he is now said to be up for sale to raise pure profit in light of his academy status.
As per renowned journalist David Ornstein, who suggested Mainoo is not out of the picture for a potential sale, like Marcus Rashford, in contrast to other promising young stars, in the form of Amad Diallo and Leny Yoro.
Mainoo’s contract does not expire until 2027, but United have the option of extending it for another year, so they do control the immediate end of his career. But with contract negotiations continuing to stall, Chelsea and other leading clubs might seek to exploit the doubt surrounding one of England’s brightest young midfielders.
