Rio Ferdinand has warned Ruben Amorim to make room for Kobbie Mainoo, insisting the midfielder must not be lost in Manchester United’s reshuffle.
The former defender believes the 20-year-old’s patience will snap if his minutes remain limited.
Mainoo was heavily linked with a loan exit in the final days of the summer window after failing to start any of United’s opening league games.
According to reports, he asked to leave on loan to gain regular football but United blocked the move and challenged him to fight for his place.
Ferdinand has gone further, telling the Manchester Evening News while promoting Talking Futures’ Half Time Talks initiative: ‘I do not want Kobbie Mainoo putting on any other shirt other than England’s or Man United’s, simple as.’
He argued that a footballer of Mainoo’s trajectory will not accept a watching brief for long.
Rio Ferdinand has warned Ruben Amorim to make room for Kobbie Mainoo , insisting the midfielder must not be lost in Manchester United ’s reshuffle
The midfielder came close to departing Old Trafford in the summer and has struggled for gametime
United’s stance meant Amorim later held a one-to-one conversation with the England international about his role, having publicly made it clear that he does not consider the academy graduate a finished article in his system.
Ferdinand warned: ‘If he was agitating to get a loan now, if he is not playing in January, he will be agitating and knocking the door down even more to go and get game time.
‘He has had a taste of a tournament with England and came out of it with absolutely flying colours, and he will want a taste of that again.’
He added: ‘If you are thinking long-term for Manchester United, I think Manchester United have to find a way of getting this kid in the team, he is a huge talent.
‘Is there another way to get him in the team, what does he need to do, that is the big thing for me.’
Amorim has been equally forthright about where Mainoo stands, and why selection has not been automatic. The head coach told reporters earlier this month that Mainoo is competing with captain Bruno Fernandes in midfield, while stressing that standards have shifted under his stewardship.
‘The way I play is completely different from the last manager,’ Amorim said, explaining that United now have other players who can ‘calm down the game’ in key moments.
He also set out the areas for improvement he expects from the 20-year-old, saying: ‘I think he needs to have the technical ability that he has, but he needs more pace.
Amorim has been forthright about where Mainoo stands and why his selection is not automatic
‘He needs to understand the position better, he needs to play in different speeds, sometimes it is lower, sometimes it is faster, and I think he can improve on that.’
All attention will now turn to whether Mainoo is handed crucial minutes in United’s clash with Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday, with Ferdinand’s plea for greater involvement adding extra focus to Amorim’s team selection.
