Kobbie Mainoo transfer stance revealed as Ruben Amorim responds to Chelsea interest | OneFootball

Ruben Amorim has declared that he wants to keep Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United but stopped short of saying he can guarantee the midfielder will stay at Old Trafford.

United head coach Amorim suggested his priority in January is not to buy players but Mainoo is a target for Chelsea and the 19-year-old, who has been in talks with United about a new contract, could help raise funds as the sale of a homegrown player is particularly lucrative under PSR regulations.

Mainoo only began two of United’s first eight games under Amorim but has started three of the last four and impressed in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.

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(Getty Images)

And asked if he wanted the England international to stay, Amorim replied: “Yeah. My players are always my favourites so I really love my players and want to keep my players, especially the talented ones. It is a special moment in this club, it is a hard moment, we will see, but I am really happy with Kobbie, he is improving.

“Our idea is always to keep the best players and the players that we build for this club but we know the position the club is in at the moment and we will see but I am really happy and like our players, especially the guys from the academy.”

Marcus Rashford, another graduate of United’s youth system, has not featured in United’s last six games, being excluded from the squad for four, then an unused substitute for the defeat to Newcastle and then ill for the trip to Anfield.

The forward has said he is interested in a new challenge and AC Milan are among the clubs who want to take him on loan.

But Amorim was non-committal if Rashford could go out on loan and then have a future at Old Trafford next season. “We will see,” he said.

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(Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

Amorim said Rashford was available for selection for Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Arsenal, when Altay Bayindir will replace first-choice goalkeeper Andre Onana.

And Amorim played down talk he will target new signings this month, saying: “The first thing is I don’t remember to say clearly that I want new players. What I said is sometimes the profile for this system is different and the players came here with a different idea how to play so I don’t remember saying so clearly I want new players.

“What I said is that we need to improve recruitment, when we are targeting players, we need to be sure they will cope with the demands. Also, we have to improve our academy, to bring young kids that feel the club in the right way and also with that roles we are able to do some business and to have money to invest in the team.”