Manchester United pair left in limbo amid transfer stance and nightmare World Cup scenario
Two Manchester United are out of favour for club and country and only an unlikely January exit will salvage their World Cup ambitions
Joshua Zirkzee and Kobbie Mainoo have fallen down the pecking order for club and country
When England faced the Netherlands for a place in the European Championship finals 18 months ago, two Manchester United stars were dreaming of international glory. Now they’re facing a transfer conundrum to try and save their World Cup dream.
Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirzkee are both in the international wilderness just now with game time for Manchester United in short supply.
Mainoo was something of a breakout star for England in their run to the final of Euro 2024 and seemed to have a central midfield position under lock and key for years to come for club and country. Under two years later and the 20-year-old has fallen down the pecking order under Ruben Amorim and will need a January move and a stunning run of form to offer any hope of a late run into Thomas Tuchel’s England thinking.
Mainoo’s stuttering career is puzzling to plenty and while Amorim has offered words of encouragement, they haven’t translated into meaningful minutes.
And even though he is on the fringes of things at Old Trafford, United are unlikely to sanction a temporary move away for the youngster given he is a regular in matchday squads.
It’s a similar story for Zirkzee, who came off the bench for the Netherlands against England in that semi-final but can’t get off it for United this season.
He’s been used sparingly by Amorim and even the injury to sole centre forward Benjamin Sesko doesn’t look like yielding many minutes for the Dutchman.
He has been left out of the recent international squads and with Ronald Koeman’s side all but assured a place in the World Cup, Zirkzee must surely move if he is to join his countrymen in North America.
But again United are not certain to offload the 24-year-old particularly given Sesko’s injury, even if Amorim suggested the club might look to add an attacking option in January.
Zirkzee and Mainoo are set to remain on the outside looking in, just as they will be in the summer come the World Cup.
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