The Catalan giants, FC Barcelona have reportedly proposed a swap deal to Manchester United to land Kobbie Mainoo at the Camp Nou. According to Nacional, new Barca boss, Hansi Flick is mesmerized by the United midfielder and is eager to coach him. Barcelona must offload players this summer to regain La Liga’s 1:1 rule, granting freedom to make signings without financial constraints. As per Catalan sources, Barca stuns with a bold offer: Raphinha plus £8.5 m (10 million euros) to snatch Mainoo from Man Utd. While Raphinha is a recent addition to the squad having made over 100 appearances for Barcelona in a short period, a replacement seems ardent and quite shocking.
Mainoo to leave England’s rain behind for Spain’s sunny shores?
In a season marked by disappointment for Man Utd, Mainoo’s emergence stood out as a shining beacon of success. The 19-year-old made 35 appearances for his boyhood club in his breakout season. He sealed the Red Devils’ season on a high note, netting the winner against city rivals Man City in the FA cup final. His stellar performances secured him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad.
The Blaugrana aim to part ways with Raphinha but are hopeless by the lack of interest. With reports suggesting new head coach Hansi Flick wants to move on from the Brazilian. The German wants Barca to sign the Stockport youngster and has recommended the midfielder to Joan Laporta and Deco as an ideal alternative to Martin Zubimendi, Amadou Onana, Mikel Merino and Joshua Kimmich.
The lack of offers for the Brazilian led Barcelona to consider a swap with United, potentially sending the young lad to La Liga.
Manchester Utd’s Youngster Kobbie Mainoo: A potential role in Barcelona
Under Xavi, the double pivot structure of Frenkie and Gundogan did not work. It provided advantages in the build-up but lackluster while defending. Pedri and Gavi were facing injury crisis for the most part of the season. Oriol Romeu had a poor season after being tasked to replace Busquets. Therefore, Barca are in a desperate need for a versatile midfielder.
Flick favors holding midfielders dropping deep into defense, creating numerical advantages during the build-up phase. He wants physicality in his players to win duels and assert dominance. Kobbie Mainoo ticks all boxes of the German’s requirements. He effectively uses his body to win possession and maintain control, engaging opponents early and positioning himself advantageously in duels. He is capable of playing as a defensive midfielder. His relatively small frame allows him to manipulate the ball in tight areas.
Kobbie Mainoo is receieving a lot of praise for a bright future and recently praised by legend Bryan Robson. Speaking to The Telegraph, Robson said,
“He’s calculated and he’s reading the game, doing things in his own time. He closes down really well, receives the ball and changes the pattern of the game, quickens it up when he wants to and he’s using his football brain. I’m quite impressed with him. It’s the defensive work as well. He’s got confidence, he looks a real top player. What I’ve seen from Mainoo, what the manager’s seen in training and matches, he must trust him.”
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