Reports from Italy claiming that a move for Kobbie Mainoo to Napoli is “99% done” have sparked quite a reaction among Manchester United fans, and now the club’s sources have addressed those rumours.
Mainoo’s standing at Old Trafford has dropped far faster than expected this season, with Ruben Amorim seemingly unconvinced by the midfielder.
The story is surprising, considering Sir Jim Ratcliffe stepped in to prevent his departure over the summer.
Since then, the noise around a possible exit has only grown louder. Now, Man United sources are addressing one of the more striking reports out of Italy.
Italian sources claim Kobbie Mainoo to Napoli is “99% done”
The pressure on Mainoo has been building ever since Amorim decided not to include him in the starting line-up. With the World Cup coming up, he needs regular game time to stay in the picture, but so far, opportunities have been limited.
Napoli have a reputation for helping former United players get back on track. Rasmus Hojlund and Scott McTominay both made moves there before turning things around, and the 20-year-old midfielder might be hoping to follow a similar path.
Speaking recently on Fischio Finale TV (via Area Napoli), transfer insider Luca Cerchione said: “In the past few days, I received a phone call from a friend of Mr. Stellini, who informed me that he had learned that there had been a significant acceleration in the sale of Mainoo, even talking about percentages close to 99%.
“Naturally, the person who gave me this transfer rumor didn’t cite Stellini as his source.”
The “Stellini” mentioned here refers to Cristian Stellini, Napoli’s assistant coach and Antonio Conte’s right-hand man.
That connection gives weight to the rumour – enough for Man Utd sources to take notice.
Man Utd respond to claims of Kobbie Mainoo’s Napoli move
Reports such as this are detrimental, potentially ending a bidding war for Mainoo before it even begins.
They also add another layer of pressure on a club already struggling with the idea of losing a player many see as a future star.
According to TeamTalk, Man United sources believe these reports out of Italy are premature. While Napoli have shown interest and there has been some contact, the deal is nowhere near being finalised, much less “99% done”.
This might be a case of Napoli trying to push United into action through media reports to get ahead in the race for Mainoo this January.
United will need to stay patient and wait for formal offers instead of reacting to media pressure.
Mainoo is still popular among the fans, so stories like this coming from Napoli seem designed to stir things up more than anything else.
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