Chelsea have joined the race to sign Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo Caught offside.
The United Academy graduate has made just 11 appearances this season, with just one of those coming from the start as the club’s disappointing Carabao Cup collapse to League Two side Grimsby Town.
Ruben Amorim’s inflexible 3-4-3 formation left little space for the youngster, leaving him on the bench most weeks. Although there were strong calls to sign him on loan last summer, United reportedly rejected every request and insisted he would play a key role.
But as the campaign nears the halfway point, he has been reduced to brief cameos, the latest of which was a 12-minute appearance against bottom-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers.
With the 2026 World Cup approaching, there are suspicions that the youngster could push for a move in January, with several clubs now interested.
Now, according to Caught offsideChelsea have become the latest club to show an interest in signing the England international.
The Blues are looking to intensify their pursuit of the 20-year-old, with the report adding that Enzo Maresca’s side are ‘leading the chase’ in the race to sign the top midfield star.
The London giants are not alone in the race, however, as Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are also keen on Mainoo, who is open to a move to a club that guarantees playing time comparable to that of his former teammate Scott McTominay at Napoli, the report said.
Mainoo to Chelsea
The Club World Cup champions already have a host of midfielders in their squad, including Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Andrey Santos, Romeo Lavia, Dario Essugo and Reggie Walsh, who is highly rated at Maresca and is progressing through the academy.
They could do with more depth, however, as injuries to Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo, as well as Maresca’s preference to deploy Fernandez in advanced roles, saw right-back Reece James play in defensive midfield against Everton, with Malo Gusto occasionally rotating into midfield to support their captain.
Furthermore, Essugo is untested in the Premier League and is yet to feature this season, while Lavia’s ongoing injury problems mean the club could consider a more reliable, league-proven midfielder to suit the manager’s playing style, and Mainoo fits that bill.
With the January transfer window less than 20 days away, it will be interesting to see whether Chelsea will make an offer matching his £35 million. Transfer market appraisal or negotiating a loan move.
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