Man Utd summer signing would never have happened if first choice plan wasn’t derailed, says Gary Neville
GARY NEVILLE has claimed he was told Manchester United only signed Sofyan Amrabat due to the injury of Kobbie Mainoo.
Erik ten Hag handed the 18-year-old his first Premier League start for United at Goodison Park on Sunday with Ambrabat on the bench.
The young star produced a brilliant performance in midfield as the Red Devils romped to a 3-0 win over the Toffees.
Alejandro Garnacho stole the headlines with his incredible overhead kick, but it was Mainoo that England fans were claiming could be Gareth Southgate’s missing piece of the jigsaw for this summer’s European Championship.
He made his senior debut in the Carabao Cup win over Charlton back in January and then came off the bench in the Premier League victory over Leicester City later last season.
Mainoo was then part of United’s squad for the pre-season tour, where he shone under Ten Hag only for an injury to rule him out of action until to last weekend.
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Meanwhile, after he was sidelined, United beat the clock on transfer deadline day in September to secure the services of Amrabat on a season-long loan move from Fiorentina.
That deal has no option to buy permanently and the 27-year-old, who came on as substitute against Everton, has so far struggled to make much of an impact at Old Trafford after initially being deployed as left-back due to injuries.
Now United legend Neville has claimed that he was told previously that Ambrabat was only signed because of injury to Mainoo.
The now Sky Sports pundit, as quoted by the , said: “I’d heard earlier on in the season because I’m like everybody else I’m asking 'What’s going on? Why are we not signing a player in midfield?' And it was told to me that if Mainoo stays fit then they won’t sign another midfield player.
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“Mainoo obviously got injured with the ankle injury and then all of a sudden Amrabat came back onto the table. But they weren’t going to sign another player.
“They were looking at Mainoo as being the solution and I was like [puffs cheeks].
“That’s a lot of faith to put into a young player from Erik ten Hag but I can see why in those 70 minutes we watched.
“I was disappointed when he went off but you can’t criticise Ten Hag for bringing off a young player and putting some experience on but there was still something in the game, United hadn’t got a third by that point.
“He was still the best player on the pitch. Mainoo was United’s best player throughout the game and mostly throughout that period that United were drifting and went asleep.”
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