Mainoo loan request rejected by Man Utd

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo has asked to leave Old Trafford on loan.

United have rejected the request, telling Mainoo they value him and want him to stay and fight for his place.

It remains to be seen whether there are further conversations about the issue before the transfer deadline on Monday.

Mainoo, 20, played the full 90 minutes in Wednesday's EFL Cup penalty shootout defeat at Grimsby.

However, he was an unused substitute for both of United's opening Premier League games and head coach Ruben Amorim has told the England international he is fighting for a place with skipper Bruno Fernandes.

Mainoo has a contract to 2027 but negotiations over an extension have stalled.

It is understood he does not want to leave United permanently but is concerned about the amount of Premier League game time he will get.

Those concerns have been heightened by the loss at Grimsby, which, coupled with a failure to qualify for European competition this season, means United will only play in the league until their FA Cup campaign starts in January.

Mainoo has made 16 starts in 45 games since Amorim was appointed in November.

He burst into the United side under Erik ten Hag two years ago, capping his domestic season by scoring in the FA Cup final victory against Manchester City.

He went on to start for England in their Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain.

However, he missed 17 games last season with a couple of separate muscular injuries and is yet to be included in an England squad under new boss Thomas Tuchel.