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Mainoo’s fresh Man United start under Carrick gives Napoli transfer warning
Jan 18 2026 12:16 · By onefootball.com · 44 Reads
Kobbie Mainoo played the full 90 minutes in Manchester United’s win over Manchester City on Saturday, a sign that Napoli’s hopes of landing the England midfielder could already be fading.
Manchester United midfielder Mainoo started his first Premier League game this season on Saturday, in a 2-0 win over city rivals Manchester City .
The 20-year-old played the full 90 minutes at Old Trafford and was praised by new Manchester United coach Carrick before and after the game.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – APRIL 09: Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United looks on during a training session ahead of their UEFA Europa League 2024/25 quarter final first leg match at Carrington Training Ground on April 09, 2025 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Ben Roberts Photo/Getty Images)
“Kobbie Mainoo is a fantastic player, he has huge talent, he has huge ability,” Carrick told Sky Sports UK before kick-off via Fabrizio Romano.
“He has played in some unbelievable nig occasions and coped with it. I am looking forward to seeing him thrive.”
After the match, as reported by the BBC , Carrick told reporters: “Kobbie was great alongside Casemiro. Between the two of them, it gave us a foundation.”
It is no secret that Napoli are long-time admirers of Mainoo, as the Partenopei were already in talks to sign the 20-year-old last summer.
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 24: Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United looks on ahead of the Premier League match between Fulham and Manchester United at Craven Cottage on August 24, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Fabrizio Romano, however, reported earlier this week that Manchester United were reluctant to discuss the midfielder’s sale this month as they wanted to make assessments with their new coach, Carrick.
As the latest game suggests, Carrick has already put trust in Mainoo, meaning that Napoli will likely be forced to look elsewhere for midfield reinforcement this month.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News , after the game, Mainoo shared his first United-related Instagram picture since October, posting an image of himself alongside Carrick and Mason Mount walking inside the Old Trafford tunnel with a caption that read: “Believe that.”