Chelsea could reportedly swoop for Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo as early as this month amidst uncertainty over his future at Old Trafford.
Mainoo is widely regarded as one of the Red Devils' brightest prospects and has made 52 senior appearances since and including his debut for the club in January 2023.
However, surprising reports have emerged this week claiming that Man United will reluctantly consider selling the 19-year-old, as well as other first-team stars, as part of their efforts to comply with financial rules.
Mainoo's status as an academy graduate means that any sale from Man United would be represented as pure accounting profit under the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability rules.
It has also been reported that Mainoo has been left 'unhappy' with the initial terms presented by the Red Devils to renew his contract, which runs until June 2027.
Mainoo and his agent are believed to be demanding an eye-watering £200,000 a week, including bonuses, on his new deal, a figure that Chelsea are thought to be willing to pay.
© Imago
The Daily Mail reports that Chelsea are currently at the front of the queue for Mainoo, although it was initially claimed that the midfielder was unlikely to leave Man United in January.
Now, The Times states that a January transfer to Stamford Bridge could materialise for the England international if the Blues receive encouragement from the player.
Do Chelsea need to sign Mainoo?
Chelsea's interest in Mainoo comes as somewhat of a surprise considering that they are already well-stocked in the midfield department that has been strengthened with big-money signings in recent years.
Over £300m was spent by the Blues on Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer and Romeo Lavia between January and September 2023, with the former three, in particular, featuring regularly under head coach Enzo Maresca.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was signed by Chelsea last summer for around £35m, but he has struggled for regular game time along with Carney Chukwuemeka and Cesare Casadei, who have all been linked with an exit.
The prospect of a couple of those players departing this month could therefore see Chelsea step up their pursuit of a new midfielder such as Mainoo.
However, it has widely been suggested that Chelsea should instead prioritise recruiting a prolific centre-forward either in the current window or next summer.
Additions in defence have also been mooted, with Chelsea allegedly interested in re-signing Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi.
Oliver Thomas
