Kobbie Mainoo plan had Man Utd's rivals 'in disbelief' before Michael Carrick decision

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Manchester United's rumoured willingness to loan out Kobbie Mainoo for the remainder of the campaign has reportedly stunned several Premier League sides, as well as Napoli. Mainoo struggled during the opening months of the season under former boss Ruben Amorim and failed to earn a single Premier League start before the Portuguese manager's exit in December.

At one point, Mainoo appeared destined for a loan move, until interim boss Michael Carrick stepped in. Napoli were particularly eager to bring the 21 year old in on a temporary basis for the rest of the season, whilst the midfielder also caught the eye of Tottenham , Aston Villa and Everton .

Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund have both joined Napoli - McTominay on a permanent transfer and Hojlund on loan - and the duo have flourished since departing Old Trafford. Napoli manager Antonio Conte was keen to add another United player to his ranks following their impressive form.

According to The Telegraph , there was 'genuine disbelief' in Naples that United were even considering allowing Mainoo to leave. Similar sentiments were reportedly echoed by 'many Premier League clubs' who had expressed interest in securing the youngster on loan.

Throughout Amorim's tenure, the 41-year-old frequently emphasised his desire for players to 'stay and fight' rather than abandon ship at the first hint of difficulty - taking aim at what he perceived as an 'entitlement' mentality amongst certain academy graduates.

He had also pointed to Casemiro as a prime example of a player who changed his attitude and battled his way back into the starting XI, stating: "When I see Casemiro training, if everyone trains like him, if everyone is so focused on the detail, even in training, in set-pieces training, even when they are playing ten versus goalkeeper, and the movements that he made, imagining the game, we will be a top team.

"If everyone works like Casemiro, and when I say work it's not just running, it's that focus. You can understand why that guy won five Champions Leagues, because if you pay attention to everything that he does with contract, with no contract, he's top player."

Many interpreted this as another thinly-veiled dig at Mainoo.

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The Mirror also revealed that, following Carrick's appointment, Mainoo was informed he would feature in the squad for the rest of the campaign.

This came with explicit instructions to concentrate on winning back his place at his boyhood club, whilst demonstrating that Amorim had made a mistake in sidelining him.

Since Carrick took charge, Mainoo has been named in the starting line-up against Manchester City , Arsenal , Fulham and Tottenham .

He is also expected to be in the frame to start their fixture at relegation-battling West Ham on Tuesday night (8pm).

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