Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are keeping tabs on Manchester United midfielder Kobie Mainoo regarding his potential transfer in 2026, according to TEAMtalk.
Mainoo has featured 78 times for Manchester United since making his senior debut in the 2022–23 campaign and has earned 10 England caps, including an appearance at Euro 2024.
The midfielder had been keen to leave Old Trafford on loan ahead of the 2025–26 season but was denied a move. His frustration stems from the limited opportunities he has had under Ruben Amorim, having started only 12 of the Portuguese manager’s 34 Premier League matches in charge.
With his development seemingly stalling, Mainoo is now expected to push for a temporary switch in January to secure more game time and revive his chances of earning a World Cup call-up.
He was notably omitted from Thomas Tuchel’s most recent England squad due to his lack of minutes at club level — a situation unlikely to change soon, given Amorim’s preference for using him solely as backup to Bruno Fernandes, who remains undroppable.
According to TEAMtalk, Mainoo is of keen interest to Chelsea, as he suits the profile of young, promising, emerging talents without enough playing time across Europe.
While Maresca’s midfield is already well stocked, the Blues remain keen on the youngster and remain interested in a possible swoop to sign the England international, according to the report.
However, they face stern competition for the 20-year-old’s signature, as the report adds that Tottenham are closely monitoring his situation at the Theatre of Dreams.
Battle
While Mainoo remains highly rated at United, TEAMtalk reports that Spurs remain keen admirers of the youngster, with a possible move in mind for next year.
At present, Enzo Maresca leads a crowded and talented midfield group. The Blues currently use a robust core that includes Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Romeo Lavia, Andrey Santos, and Dario Essugo.
These options provide depth, creativity and defensive balance. Given all that, one might assume the club would deprioritise any further additions in the engine room.
Tottenham, on the other hand, may be looking for an immediate replacement for Yves Bissouma, who has been frozen out of the squad, and the English midfielder could be brought in to form a strong midfield quartet with Pape Matar Sarr, Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur.