Three Champions League giants are actively pursuing Manchester United's young midfielder Kobbie Mainoo. The 20-year-old hopes to leave the Red Devils next month, as the England international has had very limited playing opportunities under manager Erik ten Hag. This season, Mainoo has only played 183 minutes in the Premier League, while clubs such as Bayern Munich and Napoli have shown considerable interest in him.
According to European football transfer expert Andy Brassell, speaking to Camel Live, among these two clubs, Kompany's Bayern Munich would be a better choice for Mainoo. Brassell holds this view even though Napoli has revitalized the careers of two of Mainoo's former teammates, Scott McTominay and Rasmus Højlund.
"I think when you look at Napoli now, you can certainly see why they're interested in Mainoo," Brassell said. "There's no doubt about that. But the midfield is Napoli's strongest position. Look at their players: there's McTominay, and then Stanislav Lobotka, who is absolutely a key player in Napoli's midfield. Anguissa has also performed well since joining, and on top of that, Kevin De Bruyne will return in the second half of the season.
“Would this be jumping out of the frying pan into the fire for Mainoo? I hope he can go somewhere where he can get a lot of playing time. So his talent is a dilemma. On the one hand, his talent means he should play for a giant club. On the other hand, I think he needs to go somewhere where he can get plenty of game time. Therefore, Bayern is also a better option.”
“If Mainoo goes to Bayern, one thing that will help him is that Konrad Laimer has basically permanently moved to right-back. Laimer is not the same type of player as him, but they share many similar traits, so Laimer won't be a competitor for him.”
“When we talk about other midfielders at Bayern, Joshua Kimmich, to some extent, and Aleksandar Pavlović are different types of players from Mainoo. So I dare say he will definitely have a chance to be involved. Kompany likes players with good technical ability on the ball. That's another big advantage for Mainoo. I think by next summer, or even in the winter window, they will try to sell Leon Goretzka.”
"Even if Ryan Gravenberch doesn't go to Liverpool and stays there, in my opinion, Bayern would offer a more reasonable chance for Mainoo than Napoli."
In addition, Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone has reportedly identified Mainoo as a replacement if Conor Gallagher leaves the club.
Brassell told Camel Live: “Another European giant we have to mention that has shown strong interest in Mainoo is Atletico Madrid. Now, sometimes you feel that Atletico's midfield could use more technical players. They have already signed Thiago Almada and Gabri Veiga, who will play further forward than Mainoo and are expected to contribute more goals. That's another advantage for Mainoo—he can play multiple midfield positions.”
“He will compete with Rodrigo de Paul, but the fact is that they are going to make adjustments again. I dare say that by the start of the 2026-27 season at the latest, Gallagher will definitely return to the Premier League. We know Simeone appreciates him, and his teammates appreciate him too. But he can't win a regular starting spot. At some point, he will say: 'Look, I'm not even 30 yet, I still want to play for England, I need to get regular playing time somewhere, and I'll never get that at Atletico.'”
“I think Mainoo has the potential to get into the starting eleven at any of these clubs. But the question is, how do you ensure he gets regular playing time? When you think about the clubs that are really suitable for him, it's not easy. I'm thinking, if you're a club of a slightly lower level, you'd think, let's make an offer to Manchester United, let's loan him for half a season, and then after he plays every week and performs well, we can sell him at the price we want, so we can get the maximum value.”
“Everyone has to admit that he hasn't reached his peak value yet. That's largely not his fault, but he's played too little to reach that value. I don't think you can sell him for £60 million or £70 million at the moment. It's simply impossible to get that price.”
“I'm thinking, if you loan him to a club that can't actually afford to buy him, whether it's Lyon, Benfica, or other similar clubs. A bit like the current plan for Endrick at least, who will join Lyon on a pure loan in the second half of the season.”
"He is eager to join because he knows he can play every week before the World Cup. A pure loan seems like an excellent idea for Mainoo. Maybe even if he plays 20 to 25 times in the second half of the season, he still has a chance to be selected for the World Cup squad. Well, it's a very slim chance, but it's a chance nonetheless. Then, after he proves his ability, Manchester United can sell him at a value that matches his talent."
