Amorim explains decision to limit academy starts as Mainoo waits for more minutes - The Global Herald

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has defended his approach after none of the club's academy graduates have started a Premier League match this season and reiterated his reasoning for not selecting Kobbie Mainoo more often.

United have been publicly investing in their youth system, appointing Stephen Torpey from Brentford to lead the academy and spotlighting young talents like 15-year-old JJ Gabriel, who was present in the directors' box at Old Trafford during the 1-1 draw with West Ham.

Despite that emphasis, opportunities at senior level have been scarce. Kobbie Mainoo and local defender Tyler Fredricson both started in the EFL Cup defeat to Grimsby in August. Fredricson has not featured for the first team since that match, while Mainoo's Premier League exposure totals 171 minutes across nine substitute appearances.

The competition for midfield places -- particularly with captain Bruno Fernandes -- has limited openings for Mainoo. The 20-year-old explored a loan move to Napoli on transfer deadline day to protect his hopes of making England's World Cup squad, a request United blocked; he is still believed to favour a temporary move to aid his development.

Mainoo remains a high-profile academy product: he scored in United's 2024 FA Cup final win over Manchester City and started for England in the Euro 2024 final.

The manager has repeatedly stressed that selection is driven solely by what he believes gives the best chance of winning. On the debate over academy inclusion he said: "I just want to win," and added, "I don't look (at) who it is, I don't care about that, I'm just trying to put the best players on the pitch."

When asked about Mainoo's profile as a homegrown England international, Amorim replied: "Of course I understand, and my job is to answer. But you always ask me the same thing. I understand what you are saying. You love Kobbie. He starts for England. But that doesn't mean that I need to put Kobbie [in] when I feel that I shouldn't put Kobb