Man Utd gem could be “the world’s best”, but he’s becoming the new Mainoo

Manchester United is a club known for developing many world-class talents over the years, many of which have had a significant impact on the first team.

The Red Devils have their own impressive academy to credit for their success, which produced the Class of 92 – arguably the most famous group of academy graduates in football history.

The group made over 3,000 appearances for the club, helping Sir Alex Ferguson make the club the most successful team in Premier League history.

However, in 2025, Ruben Amorim is the manager tasked with developing prospects emerging from the youth system and bringing back the glory days at Old Trafford.

He currently has several high-level talents in his ranks, but it appears as if he is severely mismanaging one player, which could lead to a highly unpopular departure.

Kobe Maino has declined at Manchester United

Going back to the 2023/24 season, United appeared to have unearthed another top-level talent from their academy in the form of central midfielder Kobe Maino.

At just 18 years old, he burst onto the scene making 32 first-team appearances and scoring on five separate occasions, many of which came in key moments.

Undoubtedly, the teenager’s most important goal came in the FA Cup final against rivals Manchester City, and he then helped Erik ten Hag secure his second title with the Red Devils.

However, in the past 12 months, Maino has suffered a sharp decline in minutes under Amorim, and the 40-year-old clearly did not see him as part of his plans.

The English player has made just 39 appearances since his arrival last November, but only six of them have come from a starting position, while the rest have been on the bench.

In the 2025/26 season alone, the 20-year-old continued to struggle further, as he subsequently made 10 league appearances, but none from the start.

He has played a total of just 183 minutes in the league, which equates to just 18.3 minutes of football every time he comes off the bench to make an impact.

As a result, the midfielder has been heavily touted for a winter move to join Napoli, which could lead to an unpopular move away from his boyhood club in the coming months.

United star who could become the next Maino

Ahead of the new year, Amorim could face several selection issues as several members of his first-team squad look set to join their national teams ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Brian Mboumou, Amad Diallo and Nassir Mazraoui appear to be ready to feature for their countries in the tournament, which could leave the Red Devils out in several key areas.

The attacking department could become somewhat of a stretch, given that the former duo of the trio have often worked alongside each other in the Premier League this season.

Diving into the transfer market could be an option for the manager, but that would involve spending money after already spending £200m in the summer window.

As a result, the academy can once again provide a reliable source of talent, with Chido Obi one player who deserves a chance to shine in the first team.

The Dane joined the club from Arsenal in the summer of 2024, originally joining the youth team, and has subsequently scored just 17 goals in 21 appearances across various levels.

His subsequent form earned him a call-up to the first team under Amorim last season, with the 18-year-old making eight first-team appearances, but was unable to find the back of the net.

Obi, described by Lenny Euro as “one of the best players in the world”, has since returned to the Under-21s this season, making 13 appearances so far, scoring five goals while providing two assists for his teammates.

Benjamin Sisko and Joshua Zirkzee are two big centre-forward options currently available, but the pair have only scored twice in the Premier League this season.

Such a lack of quality would open the door for the youngster to demand a starting position once again, but it appears as if Amorim is not keen on signing the centre-forward.

This could lead to another Maino situation unfolding before the fans’ eyes, which could see the Red Devils lose another one of their promising talents.

His goalscoring record at youth level is testament to the quality he possesses in the final third, but it is important that the manager backs Obi to deliver the goods at Old Trafford.

Maino is an example of the quality of player available when trust is placed in the club’s academy, but in the end, Amorim shows his ignorance, given the lack of minutes.

As a result, Maino could leave the club, with Obi also likely to be frustrated by his lack of first-team action if the manager continues to look past all the talent.

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