Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo has reportedly requested a significant pay increase in order to reject Chelsea and sign a new contract at Old Trafford.
Mainoo's current deal at United expires in the summer of 2027, but the Manchester Evening News report that the club are keen to extend that contract following the 19-year-old's breakout season in 2023/24.
But the Daily Mail's Chris Wheeler now claims that Chelsea are waiting in the wings to swoop if Mainoo fails to agree fresh terms at United.
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The central midfielder is said to be 'concerned' about the direction of the club despite the recent appointment of Ruben Amorim as manager and the encouraging signs shown during United's 2-2 draw against Liverpool on Sunday.
While United fans would not want nor likely expect Mainoo to leave the club, The Athletic's David Ornstein claimed on Sunday that only two players - Leny Yoro and Amad Diallo - are 'off the table' as far as transfers are concerned.
Now, the Daily Mail have provided further reports about Mainoo's contract situation - and they may well concern United supporters.
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It is claimed that neither Mainoo nor Alejandro Garnacho - whose deal expires in 2028 - are completely off the chopping block, as they are both homegrown players and their sales could be registered as 'pure profit' on the balance sheets for the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability rule submissions.
The MEN have previously reported United's insistence that they will not breach regulations after paying compensation to Erik ten Hag and to Sporting for Amorim, but the closeness to the line is set to limit their spending in January.
Should United want to extend Mainoo's deal, the Mail say that the 19-year-old is demanding wages of around £200,000-per-week to sign fresh terms.
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Whether this is simply a tactic to get closer to a smaller number that Mainoo wants is unclear, but the ball appears to be United's court at this stage.
Topics: Kobbie Mainoo, Manchester United, Chelsea, Transfers, Premier League
Ryan Smart