He is nowhere near a 180k per week player yet, he might even be a 300k per week superstar, but not yet. So he should get paid for his current value, not hypothetical future. You can raise his wages every year if you want to in the future.
Kobbie Mainoo (out)
- Thread starter Licha-Vidic
- Start date
If United give him what he wants you can add that to another record. The slowest player meter/pound. Absolutely mental.
If he's asking too much sell him on and Garna too for that measure, get a player that will actually fit the system.
considering what Amad earns, 100K plus bonuses would be a compromise, no?
That's what's happening though, it's all a negotiating P/R game.
Ask for a crazy number so that when he accepts a more reasonable figure, the club looks good (for not accepting the first request) and the player looks loyal for lowering his "demands" in order to stay.
Teamtalk, the Sun, the mirror and some no mark writing for the Guardian. What auspicious sources!
Also the headlines scream ‘Kobbies going to reject a contract offer and move abroad!’ And when you read the article it says’if he chooses to leave’ - it’s a bunch of utter bollocks.
It's really quite distasteful how some media like to stir-up sh*t, with apparently no consequence to them.
And it's just disappointing so many people let it rile them up.
I agree it's going to be very likely paper talk, I just think the sentiment that he can be sold if he's demanding 180k a week is a fair one.
That being said I'd be surprised if any club did this. So it's likely paper talk or just bad negotiations on Mainoos part. At least ask for something you know you can fetch in the market, I don't know which club will throw £180k a week at a 19 year old with 9 months of football experience and already one very lengthy injury layoff in his career. This is why I reckon / hope it's posturing or fake news.
For once United are in a fairly strong position here. I don’t feel he justifies a good contract, let alone a big one. Should he get parity with Amad, maybe but maybe not. His performances have been pretty poor this season. Make him wait and see how next season starts. If he’s still struggling in this system then sell him.
If the club have chosen this way of playing then he needs to show he can slot in. I don’t think he does personally. The #10 role isn’t his best nor is the CM role due to his limited physicality. He needs to improve, not the club offer him a big contract.
If the club have chosen this way of playing then he needs to show he can slot in. I don’t think he does personally. The #10 role isn’t his best nor is the CM role due to his limited physicality. He needs to improve, not the club offer him a big contract.
You guys have been poor sellers too often in the past (Lingard, Rashford, etc), so if there is an impasse, this could be a good time to cash in. I'm not convinced that his value will go up at all. Could be second-season syndrome and the lack of a pre-season (for two years now), but even some of the 70m quotes appear fanciful on what he has shown this term.
His lack of physicality is very noticeable and the opposition are just going to mercilessly target this. In a three-man midfield it can be mitigated, but in Amorim's system it means you're effectively playing with one in midfield, especially if one of the centre-halves doesn't move up or a full-back doesn't invert.
I'm starting to wonder if he couldn't be converted into a '6'. He has skills to be a '10' but not an elite one, to my mind (an elite player in one of Amorim's 10s would be a huge help, along with a striker and an all-action midfielder who can pass). An '8' is an issue in Amorim's system, but could be worth at least giving him a spin in a defensive-midfield role before the season is out?
His lack of physicality is very noticeable and the opposition are just going to mercilessly target this. In a three-man midfield it can be mitigated, but in Amorim's system it means you're effectively playing with one in midfield, especially if one of the centre-halves doesn't move up or a full-back doesn't invert.
I'm starting to wonder if he couldn't be converted into a '6'. He has skills to be a '10' but not an elite one, to my mind (an elite player in one of Amorim's 10s would be a huge help, along with a striker and an all-action midfielder who can pass). An '8' is an issue in Amorim's system, but could be worth at least giving him a spin in a defensive-midfield role before the season is out?
140k!?
We need to get away from overpaying our young players before they have earned it.
For now a fair base is 80k pw. That’s a 60k increase from what he’s currently on
I certainly understand no circumstances would go above 100k. He’s only been in the team a little over half a season
Personally I think that Ugarte and DeLigt are good value at their prices
And what in the world is Bruno doing on that list...?!
Oops I missed that. He’s obviously repaid that fee many times over.
Agreed. And I feel Zirkzee is going to play himself into being a good player for us too.
Mainoo’s strengths and weaknesses are very apparent from both the stats and the eye test.
Stick him in a possession based system where his main remit is to circulate the ball across the middle three, carry into open spaces and evade the press and you’ve got yourself a 19 y/o who does those things to an elite level. I look at Enrique’s set up at Paris St Germain for instance and see him meshing perfectly there.
In this current manager’s very particular and very specialised formation — Mainoo is positionless. Outside of his major weakness of getting up and down the field like you mention from the two man no.8 position, his passing is not the most insightful or progressive so he lacks the expansiveness needed there. He’s also not good enough off the ball or explosive in half spaces to be the “inside no.10”.
I think our other top youth talent in Garnacho suffers a similar fate with this system.
Personally, if the choice was to back this manager or retain Mainoo, I’d be leaning toward the latter — especially given the fact he’s an English homegrown player who has put some MOTM performances in against our biggest domestic rivals and done well at the World Cup at such a young age.
… That being said — the club are struggling with PSR/financial stuff so if the right offer comes in I would begrudgingly accept letting him go to fix the greater parts of the squad.
Even in a team that suits him, his lack of athleticism and very average passing ability limits him. He wouldn't really add much to that team compared to other players.
Definitely agree with that to an extent — but I also think Mainoo is young enough and talented enough to have the right manager mould him a bit better in that regard. So far he has spent his formative years in professional football under a manager who basically played an empty chasm in midfield and (limited game time) under one who prefers wingback progression.
True, but then it's very reasonable for us to sell him then.
No need to be like English media, makin Transfer fee bigger than it was and adding the add-ons. Not sure, except Bruno, rest of them did trigger their add-ons.
Looks like OP was quoting the EUR fees with a £ sign
Kobbie is a victim of the Glazer leadership. He breaks through at 18 so we decide he’s immediately now a first teamer, with no real plan to nurture him in. Just thrown in at the deep end and burned out already - now this first teamer expects first team wages, who can blame him for that.
Every single problem we have is a consequence of financial constraints and poor squad planning.
And the latest outcome of this mess is we lose a potentially world class local lad who we all turn on now for being greedy while ginger Joel gets some more cream
Every single problem we have is a consequence of financial constraints and poor squad planning.
And the latest outcome of this mess is we lose a potentially world class local lad who we all turn on now for being greedy while ginger Joel gets some more cream
Glazer leadership have nothing to do with this. He was rightfully promoted because he was showing a great deal of talent.
Problem I see which I brought up year ago is media hysteria about him going to Euros. He was not ready for that and should never have been picked. Instead of learning, growing and taking care of his body he got burned. Then came a very short pre-season. He is still a diamond. Got a lot to learn and if he/we take care of him, he will be just fine in the future. He also need to stay grounded. Reading about him wanting some big wages is just nonsens from him. If that is true.
It's just my feeling, could be wrong. It's common for agents to push for this too
Every team on the planet play their teenagers if they're good enough, you're talking rubbish.
Exactly this. Both sides leaking to the press to try and get their side an advantage. Mainoos camp saying he might leave, the club is toxic etc while the United side saying he's done less than Amad/Garnacho and we have a new wage structure/decision makers
I think he'll end up staying at around Amads number unless he really feels like he can't play in an Amorim side.
And this is a very good reason why we need to be careful with a player like Chido Obi.
He should not earn what Amad earns. Should not even earn what Garna earns.
What is he worth and what is a fair price within the newer salary structure? (Ignoring the mistakes of the past 5 years)
Somewhere between Garnacho and Amad obviously. His agent talk of 180k is far too high even for a negotiating tactic.
Somewhere between Garnacho and Amad obviously. His agent talk of 180k is far too high even for a negotiating tactic.
Why between? He should clearly be on less than Amad and at most the same as Garnacho imo. He’s been extremely unimpressive this season.
I actually don't think he should be on the same as Garnacho. Garnacho has proven more in the first team than he has and I'd still sell Garnacho.
Personally, I would sell him, just on the basis that we need a profile that he currently doesn't have. At best, he would be a no. 10 in this system, and would have to convince us upon his return that he can actually play this position. I actually think he should have a lot to prove, but we have had a fanbase hell bent on providing an easy spot in the squad for any youngster with even a little bit of talent. We can command a good fee for him which can be used to sign an athletic player with a decent passing range who can drive with the ball in attacking midfield.
If you were making the comparison in August - no one argue Amad should be paid more than Mainoo.
We need to have a structure, and players fit into that structure, rather than look at on an individual and point in time perspective.
I don't really get this argument, it seems like it's Mainoo who needs a very specific setup rather than our setup being that specialised. I think Mainoo would have been an ill fit for a lot of Sir Alex's teams to be honest. He wouldn't fit into this Liverpool or Arsenal team, City maybe?
He simply just needs to develop his game whether that's improving his stamina, passing range or goal threat. Once he does that he'll fit into most teams and systems including ours. I do think he's got it in him.
Playing in Amorim’s system will eventually do him the world of good. His press resistance, ball carrying, footwork and ball circulation is already at an elite level, but his pressing, defensive and stamina are below par. If he develops those, hell become world class. Pretty normal for a 19 year old not to be the full ticket just yet. His defensive positioning and reading is actually pretty good but he needs to couple it with being more robust, physical and harder running.