Ruben Amorim Breaks Silence on Viral 'Free Kobbie Mainoo' T-Shirt Campaign's Shocking Impact
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has clarified that Kobbie Mainoo will not face consequences for his half-brother's provocative behavior and emphasized it won't influence the midfielder's selection decisions.
Jordan Mainoo-Hames was spotted wearing a shirt displaying "Free Kobbie Mainoo" during Monday evening's thrilling 4-4 stalemate with Bournemouth. The former Love Island participant's bold gesture was clearly designed to generate publicity and provoke responses. As expected, United legend Roy Keane criticized the attention-seeking display.
Amorim wasn't questioned about the situation in his immediate post-match press briefing following the Bournemouth encounter, as journalists were still processing and confirming the details while the Portuguese manager spoke—he departed before reporters could address the topic.
Naturally, the subject arose at the earliest opportunity when Amorim met with journalists ahead of United's Premier League fixture at Aston Villa this Sunday. However, the manager minimized its importance, seemingly indicating Mainoo bore no responsibility.
"Kobbie wasn't the one wearing that shirt," Amorim stated firmly. "His selection won't be affected by the t-shirt incident, neither positively nor negatively."
The United manager maintained his consistent approach regarding Mainoo throughout this campaign, which has resulted in zero Premier League starting appearances for the 20-year-old thus far.
"He'll feature when we believe he's the appropriate choice," Amorim explained.
"This isn't a concern. I've experienced this before during my time here—it's nothing unusual, so we must handle it accordingly. I won't penalize Kobbie for his family member's actions. His treatment remains unchanged; if he's the right player for the situation, he'll participate."
Mainoo Not Seeking Amorim Meeting
Mainoo received enthusiastic support from United supporters on Monday as he prepared to substitute Casemiro after approximately an hour of play. The England representative delivered an encouraging performance, despite United's inability to preserve their 4-3 advantage in the final moments.
The Stockport native, who was refused a loan opportunity in August and is allegedly seeking another temporary departure next month, appears not to be communicating with Amorim regarding his current circumstances and limited starting chances.
"His performance [against Bournemouth] was excellent. That's what matters most," Amorim noted. "My door remains open to all players, but nobody visited this week, suggesting everything is proceeding normally as we prepare for Villa.
"Every challenge at our club ultimately falls to me to resolve, though it requires patience. Again, my office door stays open, and Kobbie hasn't approached me. His responsibility is to train and perform when called upon, and I felt he excelled in the Bournemouth match. That's my primary focus. When he needs to play, he'll play. When he doesn't, he won't."
Reports suggest United might consider selling Mainoo permanently in January, but only for an exceptional offer. There seems to be minimal appetite for approving a loan arrangement.