Chelsea lead race to sign Kobbie Mainoo from Man United | OneFootball

Chelsea are leading the race to sign Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, according to the Daily Mail.

The England international still has two and a half years left on his current deal and was negotiating to extend his stay at his boyhood club by a year.

However, those talks have hit an impasse amid reports he could be sold for pure profit. This uncertainty has alerted Chelsea, who are closely monitoring the situation.

The 19-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the past year, establishing himself as a key player under Erik ten Hag and earning a place in the England squad for the 2024 European Championships.

His impressive performances resulted in him being shortlisted for the prestigious Golden Boy award.

However, despite his rapid progress, Mainoo has yet to truly nail down a permanent starting spot under new manager Ruben Amorim.

The Blues, known for their youth development and willingness to invest in promising youngsters, have been touted as a potential destination for the midfielder if he becomes available.

However, it is unclear where Mainoo fits into the Chelsea project. They typically line up with Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez in the engine room and are enjoying an excellent season.

Chelsea also have Romeo Lavia, while Andrey Santos is impressing on loan at Strasbourg in France. Lesley Ugochukwu continues to show that he has potential at Southampton.

It is hard to envisage Chelsea moving for Mainoo. Man United will not be keen to let a talented player join a rival club.

This may be an agent-driven ploy to get United moving quickly towards a new contract.