Ruben Amorim sends blunt message to Kobbie Mainoo over Man Utd future

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Ruben Amorim has urged Kobbie Mainoo to remain at Manchester United and "fight for his job", pointing to Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo as examples of players who endured periods on the bench before cementing their Old Trafford legacies.

The academy product is yet to start a Premier League match this season and could depart on loan in January, with Napoli leading a queue of clubs interested in securing his services . However, Amorim wants the youngster to stay and prove himself rather than seek opportunities elsewhere.

The manager has criticised club legends who've suggested Mainoo should leave and has now delivered a direct message to the 20-year-old, who is frustrated by his limited opportunities and has become something of a rallying point for supporters who are eager to see home-grown talent given more chances.

"Kobbie needs to fight for his job. I think that is not a bad thing to be on the bench of Manchester United when you are 20 years old," Amorim explained. "I remember Ronaldo was on the bench, Rooney was on the bench sometimes. [Juan Sebastian] Veron was not playing.

"I remember all the history of Manchester United and nobody. So let's continue in trying to avoid the nonsense and the noise. I just want to help the team win. To help Kobbie to be a better player."

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Amorim made it clear he wasn't trying to make an example of Mainoo by benching him, insisting big names must earn their place at Old Trafford.

Instead, he wants the midfielder to prove him wrong when given the opportunity. Mainoo could be in line for his first league start of the campaign at Aston Villa on Sunday, with Amorim hinting at a tactical shift to a back four that might accommodate him as one of three central midfielders.

Should he get the nod, Amorim encouraged the youngster to channel any frustration into his performance. "I'm not trying to say to Kobbie, 'You are a big player here, let's put him on the bench to show something'," he explained.

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"No, no. What I'm saying is the opposite. I'm just not putting Kobbie sometimes because I understand that this is not the right guy to start the game. Maybe the next game, on Sunday, he is going to start.

"If he plays well, he's going to show everyone. 'This guy cannot take me from the team', and I will be so happy, so I don't care. I don't want to show nothing to anyone. I'm just saying that I'm trying to win games and to show to the players that if you do the things right, you will play no matter what the name."

Just a week earlier, Amorim had suggested Mainoo could seek a January loan if he wished. That conversation never materialised, but Mainoo's situation took an intriguing twist on Monday when his half-brother Jordan turned up to the Bournemouth match sporting a T-shirt emblazoned with 'Free Kobbie Mainoo' .

"He's a shy boy, but it's not his responsibility. He's responsible for his acts and his act was to play well in the last game, I'm just focused on that," said Amorim.

"I had the situation in Sporting (Lisbon) that my brother wrote something on the internet, and I have to answer for that. My explanation is that he has his life, he has his opinion, and it's nothing to do with me. So I will do the same with Kobbie."

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