Inter Milan preparing onslaught for £70m Man Utd ‘cult-hero’ identified as ideal profile | OneFootball

Inter Milan have reportedly set their sights on Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo who would be the perfect addition to their project.

According to Calciomercato.it, the reigning Italian champions could be set to revamp their midfield department. Hakan Calhanoglu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan are on the wrong side of 30, while Davide Frattesi and Kristjan Asllani are supposedly on their way out. The Nerazzurri have already secured Petar Sucic for next season, but he remains insufficient on his own.

Since taking over the club in May 2024, Inter’s new owners, Oaktree Capital, have instructed the management to focus on signing young players who are considered safe investments for the future. So as the source explains, Mainoo certainly fits these requirements.

Therefore, the Serie A giants have been enquiring about the 19-year-old who has been unsettled at Carrington in recent months, especially amidst the confusion engulfing his contract extension talks.

Mainoo remains one of the club’s lowest earners with a salary of £20,000 per week, but INEOS have been unwilling to grant him his requested £150,000 per week wage. Therefore, the two parties find themselves at a dangerous standstill, which could culminate in a summer departure. After all, the directors could be tempted to sell an academy product who would yield pure capital gains.

Inter Milan join the race for Kobbie Mainoo

(Photo by Harriet Lander/Getty Images)

According to TeamTalk, the Red Devils will be seeking a figure in the region of £70 million to part ways with the teenager who cemented himself as a ‘cult-hero’ among the Reds supporters, especially after scoring against Man City in the FA Cup final last season.

Nevertheless, the source believes the Premier League giants would eventually have to settle for a transfer fee worth £40-50m, which would be a more realistic figure, especially given the midfielder’s struggles under Ruben Amorim.

Mainoo has been nursing an injury for more than 40 days, but he has recently returned to grass training, suggesting his comeback could be around the corner.