Ruben Amorim should put more faith in Kobbie Mainoo, according to Rio Ferdinand, who is a fan of Manchester United transfer targets Adam Wharton and Carlos Belaba
Ruben Amorim is unsure where to fit Kobbie Mainoo into his side(Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)
Rio Ferdinand has urged Ruben Amorim to put his faith in Kobbie Mainoo despite his admiration for Adam Wharton.
Manchester United could bolster their midfield before the transfer deadline and have been linked with Crystal Palace’s Wharton and Brighton’s Carlos Belaba. It’s understood that Wharton would cost at least £60m while Brighton is demanding more than £100m for Belaba.
However, according to Ferdinand, United also have the answer in the shape of Mainoo, who was an unused substitute in Sunday’s home defeat by Arsenal. The former United defender is a huge fan of Wharton but believes the club can save money by getting the best out of Mainoo, who was deployed in numerous positions last season.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ferdinand said: “He [Wharton] would have been one of the midfielders on my hitlist. Yes, we’ve been talking about Belaba, he’s been the hot topic for the last month or so.
“Before that, Adam Wharton was one of the guys. Listen, he’s the nearest to a Michael Carrick type. He’s a controller who plays forward from that deeper line position.
“I watched him against a couple of the bigger teams like Liverpool and Man City, and he was unfazed. He’s ready for a big occasion and enjoys pressure. I love him, I think he’s a fantastic footballer.
Adam Wharton has been linked with United(Image: Clive Mason/Getty Images)
“But we’ve got Kobbie Mainoo. He can do that role, he can control a game and play deep. Playing two central midfielders, Kobbie Mainoo can play that role, given the opportunity. You can play through someone like him, you can get out of tight situations and open the game up.
“He might just have to be a patient young man at the moment, for the team to find its way, for the manager to then put the trust in him to go and play. If it was me, if I was playing two in the midfield, Kobbie Mainoo would be one of my two. I think he’s a super talent who can handle the ball as well as anyone at Man United at present. I would give him that responsibility.”
Following a breakthrough 2023/24 campaign, during which he starred for both United and England, Mainoo endured an injury-disrupted season. Speaking earlier this year, Amorim said he would look to nail down a regular position for Mainoo.
Mainoo started the season as an unused substitute(Image: 2025 Manchester United FC)
The United boss said: “We are really happy to have more options and an option like Kobbie Mainoo, with the quality that he has – he has played as a 6, as an 8 and as a 10 – we are really pleased to have Kobbie Mainoo but we have to be careful, we need Kobbie Mainoo fit and fresh.
“In England, sometimes they play with three defenders also, was more or less the same position. So he can play, we need to help him and find a little bit like Casemiro, [who] is playing better because we understand better the way Casemiro can play.
“And I think we can do that with Kobbie because he has a lot of qualities. He is really good on the ball but also near the opponent’s box. We will try to manage all that and find the right space for a player like Kobbie.”
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