Man Utd to open new deal talks for Kobbie Mainoo with ‘confidence growing’ after major Wilcox intervention

Manchester United have moved to accelerate contract talks with midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, with discussions pencilled in for this month, TEAMtalk understands.

Sources indicate that Man Utd director of football, Jason Wilcox, has already made contact with Mainoo’s camp, offering reassurances over the club’s long-term vision for the academy graduate.

Wilcox is understood to have made it clear that the decision not to entertain offers for Mainoo was his, even during a period when the youngster found himself out of favour under former head coach Ruben Amorim.

Since Amorim’s departure, Man Utd interim-manager Michael Carrick has wasted no time in restoring the £60m-rated midfielder to a central role.

The 20-year-old midfielder, who has earned 10 England caps so far in his career, has responded emphatically, delivering standout performances in statement victories over Manchester City, Arsenal and Fulham.

Mainoo’s resurgence has not gone unnoticed inside Old Trafford, where senior figures now view him as a cornerstone of the club’s rebuild.

Talks over a new deal were first initiated back in 2024, but momentum stalled amid managerial uncertainty.

With Carrick’s faith in the midfielder now clear and Wilcox driving the process, Man Utd are ready to push ahead.

Sources have told us that Wilcox will sit down with Mainoo and his representatives in the coming weeks, and there is growing confidence that an agreement could be reached swiftly.

The expectation is that Mainoo will be rewarded with a significantly improved contract that reflects both his current impact and his projected importance to the team.

Man Utd see this as a priority piece of business – and all indications suggest it could move quickly.

Mainoo came through the Man Utd youth academy and is currently under contract at the Premier League club until the summer of 2027, with the Red Devils having the option to extend it by another year.

The 20-year-old has made 89 appearances for the Man Utd first team so far in his career, scoring seven goals and providing four assists in the process.

Want more breaking transfer lines from original sources? Add TEAMtalk as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

Kobbie Mainoo’s ‘superpower’

Like the Man Utd hierarchy, Rio Ferdinand has also been hugely impressed with Mainoo’s performances under Carrick.

The former Man Utd defender said on his YouTube channel: “Kobbie Mainoo’s superpowers are that he’s press-resistant, and he can beat the press.

“His ability to manipulate the ball and use his body to get out of any situation in any area of the pitch, and to have the balls to say ‘I want to take the ball in those tight areas.’

“There are a lot of players who can do this in training sessions, but when it comes to a match, forget doing it, they don’t even show to receive the ball to do it.

“Kobbie Mainoo has done it at the highest level, in finals where he has been the main player to win games for Man United and England in a tournament.

“That’s a superpower in his game, and sometimes you think ‘well, he might be a little bit weak here and there, but if I can get him in the position to do that, it doesn’t matter so much’… This kid, his talent.”

Get the inside story first by joining our TEAMtalk Facebook channel to receive the latest breaking and exclusive news straight into your Messenger inbox.

Latest Man Utd transfer news: Nottingham Forest raid, Italian manager on wishlist

Staying on the theme of midfielders, Man Utd are said to be going all in for a Nottingham Forest star, who is their ‘dream target’, and three other major stars could follow him to Old Trafford.

Our transfer insider, Dean Jones, has revealed how much Man Utd plan to spend in the summer of 2026 should Carrick lead the club to Champions League qualification for next summer.

And finally, our transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, has revealed the blockbuster Italian manager that Man Utd have now placed on their wishlist for the summer.