Man Utd: U-turn sees Amorim ‘block’ two January exits to give them ‘key roles’ in team

Man Utd duo Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo will not be allowed to move away from Old Trafford in the January transfer window, according to reports.

The Red Devils spent over £200m on five new recruits in the summer transfer window with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS putting emphasis on new attackers.

After only four Premier League clubs scored fewer goals than Man Utd last term, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko all arrived to bolster their firepower.

That has seen Zirkzee, who only scored three Premier League goals last term, drop down the pecking order at Old Trafford with Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim yet to start him in a game in any competition this season.

Amorim raised eyebrows amongst the Man Utd hierarchy when he publicly insisted that Mainoo would be fighting for his place in the starting XI with captain Bruno Fernandes.

That led to the England international, who is yet to start a Premier League match this term, attempting to get a loan move before the summer transfer deadline before being convinced to stay by Jason Wilcox.

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Giving an update on Mainoo’s situation earlier this month, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reckons the midfielder’s situation “could become a story to follow again” in the winter.

Romano said: “For sure, the situation will be assessed again in the next months. At the moment, Kobbie is not creating any problem. Training at his best, trying his best for Man Utd. But he’s still not a regular starter. Kobbie wants to play, that’s not changed since August.

“In August, Man Utd said no, you stay here, no chance even for a loan. Kobbie only wanted a loan, never a permanent transfer. In January, we will see, because it’s still October.

“If we arrived to November, end of December, and Kobbie is still not playing on a regular basis, the Kobbie Mainoo situation could become a story to follow again in the January transfer window.”

Romano has also had an update on Zirkzee too over the last week, he said: “And then, guys, I wanted to mention something also on the situation of Manchester United because today we had rumours coming from England about Joshua Zirkzee asking officially the club to leave in the January transfer window.

“I want to clarify something about that, guys, because I was talking about Zirkzee here on the channel a few days ago and then I told you, as of today, today is day 23 of October, Joshua Zirkzee hasn’t asked Manchester United to leave the club.”

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But The Sun now claims that Man Utd are ‘prepared to block requests from their players to leave in the January transfer window amid an expectant squad shortage’.

Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui are all likely to be away on Africa Cup of Nations duty from mid-December until potentially January 18, when the final takes place.

As well as Zirkzee, Mainoo ‘is another option to offset the losses of Mbeumo and Amad’ with the ‘pair set for key roles’ over the busy festive period.