Kobbie Mainoo headlines Premier League XI needing January move before 2026 World Cup
Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo won’t be going to the World Cup with England if he stays stuck on the fringes under Ruben Amorim.
The 20-year-old hasn’t started a single Premier League match this season and was an unused substitute in United’s opening two fixtures. As far as his World Cup prospects go, it’s not looking good.
He’s far from alone. A number of Premier League players are in the same position — too good to be warming the bench, or too talented to be stuck at struggling clubs — with West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta among those who might need a change of scenery in January.
Here’s our Premier League XI of World Cup hopefuls who could really use a move in the winter transfer window.
Players who need to move in January to save World Cup place
GK: Altay Bayindir (Manchester United)
The goalkeeping situation in the Turkish national team is uncertain, but one thing’s for sure: the only way Bayindir plays for Manchester United before January is if Senne Lammens gets injured or suspended.
His last Turkey appearance — that disastrous afternoon against Portugal at Euro 2024 — did him no favours, but Vincenzo Montella continues to call him up. It’s now between Bayindir and Galatasaray’s Ugurcan Cakir for the gloves next summer, with Mert Gunok surely out of the picture after being dropped by Besiktas boss Sergen Yalcin.
After a season spent rotting on the Old Trafford bench, there’s little chance Bayindir gets called up, and no chance he starts for Turkey at the World Cup.
RB: Malo Gusto (Chelsea)
Malo Gusto’s chances of making Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad look slim, but a January move could change that.
Staying at Chelsea might work out given Reece James’ injury record, but Gusto has struggled when given minutes — poor against Nottingham Forest when pushed into midfield, before picking up a needless red card.
He was in the most recent France squad and while Jules Kounde is nailed on, the back-up role behind the Barcelona right-back is there for the taking.
CB: Sebastiaan Bornauw (Leeds)
It’s early days for Bornauw at Leeds, but zero Premier League minutes so far is hardly encouraging.
The four-cap Belgian international hasn’t featured for his country in over a year, and there’s little chance he returns to the fold while sitting on the bench at Elland Road.
CB: Nathan Ake (Manchester City)
Nathan Ake has just one Premier League start this season amid fierce competition for places in Pep Guardiola’s backline.
There’s also fierce competition for spots in Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands squad, with Virgil van Dijk, Jurrien Timber, Jan Paul van Hecke, Micky van de Ven and Stefan de Vrij all in the mix.
We’re not sure where Ake could go, but one start from nine games isn’t nearly enough for a player of his calibre.
LB: Adam Aznou (Everton)
Morocco reached the semi-finals in 2022 and look ready to go deep again, having cruised through World Cup qualifying.
In a squad boasting Noussair Mazraoui, Youssef En-Nesyri and Brahim Diaz, Aznou has been absent since November 2024, and with zero appearances for Everton this season, a recall looks unlikely.
CM: Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)
Napoli have been linked with Mainoo again, and his minutes under Ruben Amorim aren’t improving.
The 10-cap England international was a breakout star under Gareth Southgate during the run to the Euro 2024 final, but his form dipped badly in United’s dire 2024/25 campaign. Now, his World Cup place under Thomas Tuchel is in jeopardy.
If playing time doesn’t improve, Mainoo has no chance of going to North America. A move to Napoli could reignite his career. Scott McTominay’s success in Serie A should be all the proof he needs that Italy might just be the place to be.
CM: Lucas Paqueta (West Ham)
Not a playing-time issue this one, Paqueta reportedly wants out of West Ham, whose start to the season has been nothing short of dreadful. They are currently 19th in the league table with four points.
He was linked with an exit in the summer, but nothing materialised, and his goal celebration in West Ham’s only league win at Nottingham Forest was supposed to end speculation. His next one, if it ever comes, should probably involve him searching for a phone to answer a call from elsewhere rather than throwing it away.
Brazil’s squad depth means Paqueta needs to be playing, and thriving, to earn a spot. Unless West Ham dramatically improve or he moves, he’s not going to the World Cup.
CM: Joao Gomes (Wolves)
Gomes is in a similar situation to Paqueta — too good to be stuck in a relegation fight.
He’s made 10 appearances for Brazil but only played 45 minutes for his country this year, and was an unused substitute in recent friendlies against South Korea and Japan. Wolves’ awful form hasn’t yet killed his chances, but if they finish bottom, which looks likely, Gomes can forget about the World Cup.
RW: Donyell Malen (Aston Villa)
Starts have been scarce for Malen since joining Villa from Borussia Dortmund, and even a match-winning brace against Burnley on October 5 didn’t earn him back-to-back league starts.
Villa’s attacking depth isn’t especially strong, so selling him in January feels unlikely — but if Koeman makes it clear he’s out of the Netherlands picture, player power could come into play.
LW: Federico Chiesa (Liverpool)
Like Malen, Chiesa is part of a squad lacking attacking depth, which makes a January exit tricky. But also like Malen, he needs minutes to make the World Cup.
After being left out of Arne Slot’s Champions League squad, he’s yet to start a Premier League game, though he did score on matchday one against Bournemouth and nearly rescued a point at Crystal Palace.
A return to Italy makes perfect sense, for his club career and his international ambitions.
ST: Dominic Solanke (Tottenham Hotspur)
For variety’s sake, Solanke edges out Joshua Zirkzee and Niclas Fullkrug here.
Reports suggest Thomas Frank doesn’t rate Spurs’ former club-record signing, and his injury problems aren’t helping. Even when fit, he faces competition from Richarlison, Mathys Tel and Randal Kolo Muani.
Where he could go is anyone’s guess — but if he wants even a remote chance of making England’s World Cup squad, Solanke needs to find somewhere new.
