MANCHESTER UNITED have re-opened talks with Kobbie Mainoo in the hope of tying the midfielder down to a new deal, according to reports.
But Mainoo’s representatives want a jaw-dropping pay rise of £180,00-a-week, plus bonuses, to reflect his status as an England regular.
GettyManchester United and Mainoo have held fresh discussions over a new contract[/caption]
Mainoo has been locked in prolonged negotiations with his boyhood club over improved terms on his £20,000-a-week deal until 2027.
And his reps believe it’s high-time that Mainoo’s wages match that of his team-mates.
If agreed upon, Mainoo’s reported demands would see him earn half of the £375,000 salary fellow midfielder Casemiro pockets each week.
It would put the 19-year-old eighth on United’s current wage bill, behind Harry Maguire‘s £190,000 salary.
United and Mainoo have held fresh discussions over a new contract but will need to find a compromise, according to The Mail.
It’s reckoned FFP constraints mean United might be unable to offer Mainoo similar terms to some of their top earners and no longer see him as untouchable.
As a homegrown player, Mainoo would generate 100 per cent in pure profit – which would be substantial given that United value him at £70-80 million.
But the Red Devils are believed to be hopeful of convincing the dynamic midfield maestro that his long-term future is best placed at Old Trafford.
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Ruben Amorim has admitted he can’t guarantee Mainoo will stay amid the club’s pressure to fund signings with player sales.
The teenager, who has been out of action for a month with a calf injury, still has more than two years left on his current contract.
Mainoo has failed to replicate last season’s form this term
Chelsea would lead the chase for Mainoo if United cannot tie the England midfielder to a new deal.
The Blues were linked with Mainoo in January when talks with United reached a stalemate.
Amorim has also struggled to find the best role for Mainoo in his 4-3-3 system, before he sustained a calf injury in training last month.
He enjoyed a breakthrough 2023-24 season under Erik ten Hag, scoring three times in the Prem and the decisive goal in the FA Cup final win against Manchester City.
Mainoo is already an important player for club and country despite not turning 20 until April.
The Manchester-born star has made 60 appearances for United since his debut two years ago.
He has also played ten times for England and was a key figure in their run to last summer‘s Euros final.
