- Kobbie Mainoo has been linked with a potential move away from Man United
- Paul Scholes thinks his old club should do everything they can to keep him
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Manchester United legend Paul Scholes believes his former club should do everything they can to keep hold of teenage star Kobbie Mainoo.
Mainoo, 19, who broke into the first team last season, has been linked with a potential move away from Old Trafford as United aim to comply with the Premier League‘s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Homegrown players are worth 100 per cent profit on a club’s balance sheet, and United are reluctantly willing to listen to offers for Mainoo. Mail Sport exclusively reported earlier this month that Chelsea are leading the race for the England star if he does depart.
But Scholes has insisted that Mainoo should go nowhere and urged United to focus on building their team around him.
‘It’d be absolutely ridiculous if the club had to sell him,’ Scholes told TNT Sports ahead of United’s match with Southampton on Thursday night.
‘All the hard work that the club had to do, he’s been here since seven, eight years of age, Mainoo, and then you have to sell him for PSR rules? It’s ridiculous. He’s United’s brightest spark, the leading man who could be here for the next five to 10 years.’
Paul Scholes has urged Man United to not sell academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo
Scholes believes Mainoo is a player who can be a leading figure at United for years to come
Alejandro Garnacho has also been linked with a move away, and Scholes feels he would not be a major loss to United
Mainoo’s fellow academy graduate Alejandro Garnacho could also be on the move, with Serie A side Napoli showing interest in the winger.
Mail Sport understands United intend to keep Garnacho this month, but Scholes has admitted he would not have an issue with the Argentine leaving.
‘I can see it with Garnacho,’ Scholes continued. ‘I think United can get better than Garnacho.
‘Although he’s a young player and there’s better to come, he’s a little scruffy and his decision-making at times is really poor. Garnacho, I wouldn’t be afraid or worried if they sold, Mainoo I’d be offended by that.’
United are currently exploring their options over sales as they look to raise funds for Ruben Amorim to improve his squad.
Ally McCoist feels the Portuguese boss needs to oversee a major overhaul of the playing staff at United, and suggested that nobody, including Mainoo, should be considered untouchable.
‘I hear what Scholes is saying, (but) everybody is up for sale here,’ McCoist said.
‘There has to be a bigger change in a Manchester United squad in the next 18 months, two years than there has ever been. The manager who has come in has to be given free reign.’
