Kobbie Mainoo reportedly eyes move to Italy in January as three clubs hunt for sidelined Manchester United star

Kobbie Mainoo could be sealing a move away from Manchester United in the January transfer window after failing to secure a loan move earlier in the summer. United have had a dismal start to their season for the second year running, and the English midfielder has not started in any of the matches across competitions barring the humiliating loss to Grimsby Town in the second round of the League Cup.

The lack of starts at the Red Devils could hamper Mainoo’s chances of becoming a regular for Thomas Tuchel’s England, especially with the FIFA World Cup set to take place in North America less than a year from now. Mainoo, thus, will be eager to seal a move away from Old Trafford at the earliest, and will be hoping to sign a deal in the next available window three months later.

Will Mainoo join ex-Red Devils in Napoli? 

According to Daily Mail, Mainoo is strongly linked to a move to defending Serie A champions Napoli, the club that had expressed interest in the 20-year-old earlier this summer only to be turned down by the Old Trafford management.

Napoli, the club that has won the Italian top division twice in the last three seasons, is home to a handful of ex-United players including Scott McTominay as well as Romelu Lukaku and Rasmus Hojlund – who is currently on loan – and Mainoo could be joining the list early next year. McTominay had been named Serie A’s Most Valuable Player in Napoli’s title-winning season earlier this year.

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If not Italy, Mainoo could be headed towards Spain, with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid having also expressed interest in signing the midfielder, who had broken into the United side under previous manager Erik ten Hag and was part of the side that won the FA Cup last year.