Manchester United is considering the sale of Kobbie Mainoo before the summer transfer window closes in a deal that risks their proud history of producing home -grown players
Manchester United has just had one of their most embarrassing defeats – and now their proud history can be diluted.
United was beaten on Wednesday evening by Grimsby on penalties in the Carabao Cup. They went 2-0 against the League Two side within 30 minutes and needed late goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire to bring the draw to punishments.
Matheus Cunha missed the chance to win it for United before Mbeumo suddenly hit the bar when Grimsby had the upper hand on 12-11 on Spot-Kicks. It was a miserable night for United, who no longer have time to improve their team in the summer transfer window.
On Wednesday, a first start of the season saw for Kobbie Mainoo, who had been an unused replacement for the first two Premier League matches. Mainoo is frustrated about his situation in his boy's club and has made it clear that he is open to leave on Monday before the deadline.
Ruben Amorim regards Mainoo as competing with Captain Bruno Fernandes for a place in the midfield of United. The club has shown interest of 10 different clubs for Mainoo and can be tempted to cash in the 20-year-old.
Although selling a homegrown player in terms of terms of profit and sustainability rules, it would also be of the risk of jeopardizing a proud club record. Since October 1937, United has included at least one Academy player in their MatchDay team in every match -a stunning run of 4,324 games.
But the sale of Mainoo would see the departure of their most controversial academy graduated. Tyler Fredricson also started against Grimsby, but was removed during the break and is far from guaranteed a place in the team.
Fredricson and Mainoo were the only graduates from Academy in the team in Grimsby and the outputs of Marcus Rashford, Toby Collyer, Dan Gore and Ethan Wheatley who are on loan this summer, further weakened their connection to the Academy. No other graduated Academy has made the team of the first team this season.
Amorim watched a group of young people during the preseason, including the 14-year-old JJ Gabriel, but is reluctant to promote them even further. The Portuguese boss is well aware of the history of United of producing top young players, but fights for his work for less than a year in his stint as a manager.
United was dumped from the Carabao Cup in the second round and still has to win in the Premier League, with 1-0 lost to Arsenal and 1-1 signed with Fulham. They finished in the Premier League last season and have no European football to look forward to this campaign after losing the Europa League final at Tottenham.