If any further proof were needed of the changing times at Manchester United, it is the club’s willingness to even consider selling crown jewels like Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho.
A year ago, the prospect of United letting their two academy stars leave was unthinkable. Along with Rasmus Hojlund, they were seen as untouchable.
Now the situation is rather different with United desperately trying to generate income to comply with profit and sustainability rules. Under the regulations, homegrown players are worth 100 per cent profit on the balance sheet and worth roughly four times as much as other players.
So the mark-up on Mainoo and Garnacho – two players still on relatively low wages but worth around £70million to buy – has rocketed to a level that is difficult for a hard-up club like United to ignore.
With another academy poster boy, Marcus Rashford, almost certain to leave in the January transfer window, United would prefer to keep hold of his two team-mates.
Given a choice, they would rather sell Garnacho who is struggling to fit into Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-3 system and has been left on the bench for the last five games since being dropped for the derby.
Manchester United may be willing to sell Kobbie Mainoo, and it has been revealed why
Alongside fellow academy graduate Alejandro Garnacho, he could soon leave the club
The duo were previously seen as untouchable but now only two other names are seen that way
Given the choice, they would rather sell Garnacho, who is struggling to fit into Ruben Amorim’s back-three system
But their hand may be forced over Mainoo if it becomes clear that he cannot agree terms over a new contract. The two sides are said to be far apart in negotiations with Mainoo wanting around £200,000-a-week and United trying to drive down their wage bill by offloading big earners like Rashford, Casemiro and Antony.
With Chelsea leading a number of Europe’s top clubs in the chase for Mainoo, United might decide it is better to cash in on the 19-year-old England midfielder and sell him in January or, more likely, the summer.
It’s understood that the only untouchable players at Old Trafford now are £59m summer signing Leny Yoro and Amad Diallo, who is close to signing a new contract.
Even if United are able to hold onto both Mainoo and Garnacho, the fact that their futures at the club are even in question speaks for itself.
Team leaks dry up
The leaks that were giving away United’s team selection have dried up since Ruben Amorim spoke publicly about the issue and the club raised their concerns.
Confidential also revealed that United were frustrated over baseless accusations that Garnacho and Amad Diallo were somehow to blame, and had to persuade both players from coming out to defend themselves before the Manchester derby last month.
The publicity surrounding the issue seems to have had an impact because the social media accounts that were routinely leaking team news this season have now gone quiet, possibly as a result of a backlash from other fans.
United have not been averse to contacting the accounts privately in the past to point out that it helps their rivals, with the club’s analysts backing it up with hard evidence to show that a team’s chances of winning are improved the sooner they know their opponents’ line-up.
United team leaks have dried up since head coach Amorim spoke publicly on the issue
United were left frustrated by baseless accusations that Amad Diallo (left) and Alejandro Garnacho (centre) were to blame
Scholes just getting started
An advance warning to Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos to bring their tin hats to the home game against Brighton on January 19 when Paul Scholes is booked in for a Q&A session over the road from Old Trafford at Hotel Football.
Scholes speaks like he tackled during an illustrious playing career at United, as Ineos discovered once again when he spoke this week about the co-owners’ controversial first year and specifically the decision to raise ticket prices for members to £66 and scrap concessions for pensioners and kids.
‘They have been in charge for nearly a year now and everything is still negative,’ said Scholes. ‘I can’t think of something positive that they’ve done for the football club.
‘Things are getting worse on the football pitch so couldn’t they have just said they’d do cheaper tickets? Couldn’t they just give us something positive? How can you ask Manchester United fans to pay more money with what’s on the football pitch?
‘£66 for a ticket is ridiculous. If you take one kid with you, that’s £120, if you take a family, you’re looking at £300-400. It’s not right.
‘If we’ve got Sir Jim Ratcliffe, compared to all these American owners, who’s been a United fan since growing up in an area in Manchester, he’s still hiking prices up. It just shows that they don’t care.’
Scholes, who is a part-owner of Hotel Football with his former Class of ’92 team-mates Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt, will no doubt be gearing up for another pop at Ratcliffe and Co when he appears at the venue’s matchday event a week on Sunday. They’ve been warned.
Paul Scholes is booked for a Q&A near Old Trafford on January 19 and is unlikely to hold back
Scholes has said that ‘everything is still negative’ at United under Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Fergie’s autograph sign-off
Confidential revealed last week that United are becoming increasingly exasperated with professional hawkers hassling players for autographs and barging ahead of genuine fans, but Sir Alex Ferguson has his own way of dealing with unwanted requests.
Ferguson still poses for photos with supporters and signs autographs wherever he goes, nearly 12 years after stepping down as manager. We reported how he spent 20 minutes in the cold granting fans’ requests after the game against Chelsea in early November after emerging from Old Trafford more than three hours after the final whistle to find 40 of them waiting for him.
But even Fergie draws the line at signing shirts at a funeral, and he made his feelings quite clear when emerging from Manchester Cathedral after delivering a eulogy for much-loved United employee Kath Phipps on Monday.
The 83-year-old paused in the icy conditions to have his picture taken with a number of supporters before getting into a waiting car. But when confronted with a United shirt and marker pen, he replied: ‘I’m not signing anything!’ Quite right, Sir Alex.
Sir Alex Ferguson (centre) refused to sign anything at Kath Phipps’ funeral on Monday
Stars fly in for Kath
The love and affection for Kath was evident not just in the turnout at Manchester Cathedral, but also the efforts people made to be present at her funeral.
David Beckham had flown in from his base in Miami and was seen arriving for the service with his parents Ted and Sandra.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer travelled from Norway and Peter Schmeichel from Denmark to pay their respects to the 85-year-old who passed away last month. United’s former director of communications Phil Townsend flew over specially from Switzerland where he now has a similar role with UEFA.
The wake was held at The Club House restaurant in Eccles, close to Kath’s home in Irlam, where Ferguson was joined by many of his former players and other mourners, one of whom remarked fondly: ‘Kath would have been devastated to miss this!’
David Beckham was among the stars who flew in to be at the funeral of much-loved United employee Phipps
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer travelled from Norway and Peter Schmeichel (pictured) from Denmark
… and players change schedule
The players even adjusted their training schedule to make sure they were at Manchester Cathedral on time for the 2pm funeral.
Fresh from Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool, the squad reported earlier than normal to Carrington on Monday morning as the players who were in action at Anfield had a recovery session and those not involved trained as normal.
The United stars then got changed into their club suits and travelled on the team bus into the city centre. Another bus transported the academy players and United staff so they could attend the funeral as well.
Players adjusted training schedules to make sure they were at Manchester Cathedral on time
Reds in ticket plea
United attempted to capitalise on the performance in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool with a message to fans advertising tickets to home games – just hours after the final whistle at Anfield.
In what some fans called a ‘desperate’ move, the club told members seats were available for upcoming matches at Old Trafford in a text sent around two hours after full-time.
‘The team fought today. In the next few games at Old Trafford, they need your support more than ever,’ the message read.
United sparked fury among supporters by scrapping concessions and raising prices to £66 for all remaining home games – although they have been forced to reinstate cheaper prices for adults and under-16s for next Thursday’s clash with Southampton because they ‘received additional tickets due to low uptake of contractual allocations’.
Some fans branded United’s attempt to sell home tickets after draw with Liverpool ‘desperate’
Bruno’s best in class
Many lauded the performance of captain Bruno Fernandes at Anfield – but one stat in particular suggests it was no surprise.
No player has made more key passes than Fernandes in the Premier League since the start of 2024.
It was Fernandes, who pulled the strings all afternoon on Merseyside, who cutely picked out Lisandro Martinez in the area to thrash in the opener.
And for all the criticism that falls at the feet of Fernandes, he has continued to make big contributions in the past 12 months that are unrivalled even by the league’s other top talents.
Many lauded the performance of United captain Bruno Ferandes (left) in the Anfield draw
Fernandes has made the most key passes in the Premier League since the start of 2024
Harrison set for senior role after recall
United have recalled three goalkeepers from loan spells this month with all of them expected to stay at the club for the rest of the season.
The break clause in Elyh Harrison’s loan at Chester FC has been activated and he is expected to work around the first-team squad while playing for the Under-21s. The 18-year-old kept nine clean sheets in 23 appearances for the non-league side.
The highly-rated keeper, who cost United around £500,000 from Stevenage, was involved in the first-team squad during last summer’s pre-season friendlies but did not go on tour to the US.
The other keepers recalled by United are Tom Wooster from Farsley Celtic and Tom Myles from Runcorn Linnets.
United have recalled three goalkeepers from loan spells – including Elyh Harrison from Chester
Defender Dan Armer (pictured) and midfielder Yuel Helafu have been signed by Wasserman
Wasserman snap up youngsters
Getting representation rights for United’s stable of rising stars in the academy is big business and this week Wasserman, one of the biggest players in the sports agency game, snapped up Dan Armer and Yuel Helafu.
Armer is a highly-rated young defender that has dipped in and out of first team training under both Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim.
Helafu is a promising midfielder in the club’s Under-16s side and both have been welcomed as Wasserman clients.
Louis Jackson and Louie Bradbury, who is a striker to keep an eye in the next 12 months, are among the other United academy stars under the Wasserman umbrella as the fight for representation continues across the U16s, U18s and U21s.
