Man Utd sent 'pure profit' message amid Kobbie Mainoo to Chelsea transfer links

Young Manchester United and England star Kobbie Mainoo is reportedly unhappy with the terms of a new contract being offered to him, as Chelsea lead the charge to tempt him away from the club - but some Manchester Evening News readers in our comments section want him to stay, and hone himself into a midfielder that will be at Old Trafford for years to come.

Mainoo, 19, is under contract until 2027, having signed up to his current deal early in 2023. The academy player has proven to be a strong addition to the United squad, and played well for England at the Euros.

However he has only started 5 of Ruben Amorim's 12 games in charge of the club, with injury blighting some of the first half of the season. The Premier League's academy prospects have proven to be vulnerable in the era of Financial Fair Play, with homegrown players being considered as "pure profit" and representing a big windfall for clubs facing financial issues.

Scott McTominay, Hannibal Mejbri, and Alvaro Fernandez are amongst the Manchester United academy players who have brought in "pure profit" in the past. However, United sources say they do not want to drive Mainoo out of the club.

Neither do the fans. Reader Wilber40 says: “Not going to lie, it would be extremely disappointing to let Kobbie go. BUT things can't get much worse for United at the moment (last famous words), so you have to ask yourself; would we be worse off if we got two Amorim type players during the summer for the fee? Personally, I think Kobbie is too young to be considering a move away. There's a risk of going elsewhere and fading. Knuckle down, learn your craft, dedicate yourself to becoming a part of a new United and a new system.”

Commenter Deanodo writes: “I think he knows the club