Chelsea with clear run at Mainoo after latest Man Utd update

Tom Weber

Updated: 13 Jan 2025 14:21 GMT
3 min read

Kobbie Mainoo, Man Utd, 2024/25 — © IMAGO

Chelsea's faint hopes of signing Kobbie Mainoo have been boosted by news coming out of Germany that, contrary to some rumours, Bayern Munich are not interested in the Manchester United wonderkid.

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Transfer expert David Ornstein shocked Red Devils supporters last week when he revealed that, under INEOS, not even the club's most talented academy graduates are untouchable.

Due to Man Utd's unsatisfactory financial situation, which is hamstringing their January business, club bosses will have to reluctantly sanction the sales of players who would count as 'pure profit' on the balance sheet.

Mainoo falls into that category, as do Alejandro Garnacho and, of course, Marcus Rashford. The news of Mainoo and Garnacho being available certainly caused a ripple, although it doesn't mean that both will be offloaded imminently.

Obviously, Man Utd would prefer to keep them around and contract talks with Mainoo are still ongoing, though they have recently proved difficult. However, other clubs have certainly had their interest piqued by the potential availability of the 19-year-old midfielder.

Bayern not keen

Shortly after the news broke that Man Utd could cash in on Mainoo, it was claimed that Chelsea were the favourites to secure his signature, but since then, more names have entered the fray.

The Sun recently claimed that Bayern Munich hold a long-standing interest in Mainoo and could make a move. However, Sky Germany has now dismissed these assertions.

Journalist Florian Plettenberg reports that the England international is 'not a topic' in the Bundesliga giants' recruitment plans, leaving Chelsea with a free run at the youngster should his contract talks fail completely.

As things stand, a January transfer appears highly unlikely, but crazier things have, of course, happened. With Man Utd in desperate need of funds, we could still be in for a few big surprises in the final weeks of the window.