'All I can do is...' - Kobbie Mainoo finally addresses Ruben Amorim feud for first time

Kobbie Mainoo has opened up about his struggles at Manchester United under former manager Ruben Amorim.

In April, United wonderkid Mainoo finally penned a new deal with his boyhood club, signing a new five-year contract keeping him at Old Trafford until 2031.

Ahead of the contract renewal, major questions were being asked about Mainoo's future ahead of his previous deal expiring in the summer of 2027.

The 21-year-old has been a mainstay of the United team in recent years, but fell out of favour under former boss Amorim, leading both Mainoo and the club to consider selling him in January.

However, following Amorim's dismissal and the subsequent appointment of Michael Carrick as interim head coach at United, Mainoo has returned to the starting lineup and reaffirmed himself as a key part of the club's future.

After not receiving a single Premier League start under Amorim, Mainoo has started in 14 top flight matches under Carrick, with his only omission being the 2-1 loss to Leeds United as he was ruled out with a knock.

When asked how close he came to leaving his boyhood club Mainoo told Sky Sports: "When you're not playing many games, or any games, you consider all things.

"But at the forefront of my mind was always to play for Manchester United and continue to play for this club that I've grown up at."

Kobbie Mainoo open up about Ruben Amorim feud

Despite regularly stating that he rated Mainoo, Amorim claimed that he didn't have a place in the starting lineup as he felt that the youngster was only suited to the same role occupied by captain Bruno Fernandes, who could obviosuly not be dropped.

"When there's new managers, they have their way that they want to play and if they think you don't fit that, then you don't fit that," Mainoo added.

"All I can do is try and work and train to maybe see it in a different light."

The United star said that, while it was difficult under Amorim, experience teammates like Casemiro and Fernandes and close friend Joshua Zirkzee are what helped him get through the period of inactivity.

"Going from playing nearly every game to not playing as often is always going to be a difficult adjustment.

"It was good for me in terms of learning [about] myself, the game, and patience.

"How to schedule my life and how I train and how I work and getting into routines."

"It's difficult when you don't even come on as a sub of course. But I'd say my family and my friends helped me see the light at the end of the tunnel. They knew it would swing back my way at some point, so I just had to be patient."

Will Kobbie Mainoo feature for England at the World Cup?

Given his resurgence under Carrick, Mainoo is now strongly back in the running ti make it into England manager Thomas Tuchel's first squad at a major tournament since replacing Gareth Southgate in October 2024.

Mainoo made nine appearances under Southgate and was a key figure in reaching the final of Euro 2024.

The United star earned his first call up under Tuchel in March for friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, and was named in the extended 55-man squad for the World Cup.

But with some much competition to make it into the final squad, Mainoo will have to wait until May 22 to learn if he's heading to the World Cup with England or if he will have to fight for his place ahead of Euro 2028.