Ruben Amorim Delivers Blunt Reality Check: "Kobbie Mainoo Must Step Up His Game"

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has showered Kobbie Mainoo with compliments, yet cautioned the promising midfielder that he needs to accelerate his playing style to secure consistent starting opportunities in the upcoming campaign.

At just 20 years of age, Mainoo featured in 15 of 28 matches under Amorim's guidance last term, functioning mainly as a deep-lying midfielder while also receiving considerable playing time in advanced positions. Amorim's efforts to establish a fixed position for Mainoo even led to his deployment as a forward in a 2–0 loss against Crystal Palace in February.

The signings of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo should guarantee that Mainoo remains in his favored central midfield position, though Amorim has cautioned the youth product that consistent playing time will only come if Mainoo can enhance one crucial element of his performance.

"His ideal position is closer to the ball, constantly involved with possession," Amorim stated. "He possesses tremendous talent, and you understand better than I do that he has exceptional ability.

"He must elevate the intensity, the speed of play. I consistently emphasize this point with Kobbie because while he shows brilliance at times, there's room for improvement.

"I have ambitious plans, but as I mentioned, it's one match per week and the competition will be intense. Everyone must be ready to feature in a single game or participate in every fixture - that's crucial for our campaign."

This isn't Amorim's first call for increased dynamism in the middle of the park. Earlier this summer, following a lackluster friendly stalemate with Leeds United, the Red Devils manager emphasized that a "shortage of intensity" in midfield made it challenging for his squad to progress the ball forward.

Amorim's preference for a dual-midfielder setup means rivalry for those positions is intense at United. Skipper Bruno Fernandes and well-compensated Casemiro are both vying for playing time in similar roles, alongside Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte and rising prospect Toby Collyer.

This wealth of alternatives has generated considerable conjecture regarding Mainoo's destiny. Chelsea have expressed interest and several other Premier League clubs have been linked as potential destinations, though Mainoo is believed to prefer staying at Old Trafford, where his deal extends until 2027.