Nicky Butt tells 20yo 'superstar' to quit Man United after what Amorim did

Former Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt has given straight advice to Kobbie Mainoo.

Mainoo is still waiting for his first Premier League start of the 2025–26 campaign, with Ruben Amorim instead trusting the experienced pairing of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in the midfield pivot.

Butt admitted that he is “worried” about Mainoo and even called his treatment “bizarre.”

The 50-year-old said on Sky Sports: “I am worried about him because he’s a superstar, he got into the England team at 18 or 19 and was one of the best performers in the Euros for us.

“Player of his talent, should not go on loan. Either the club want you or you leave.

“It looks like the club don’t see him as part of the starting XI, which for me is bizarre.

“If I were his advisor, I would say to him ‘look if you don’t get into that starting XI, you need to go and get a new club that is going to value you’.”

Kobbie Mainoo must do more at United

The United academy graduate rose to prominence under Erik ten Hag, going from promising talent to indispensable midfielder in a matter of months.

He then carried that momentum into Euro 2024, where he became one of England’s most influential performers.

The 20-year-old has struggled to find the same consistency and game time under Amorim.

Mainoo is a generational talent who deserves more opportunities than he has been granted so far this season.

At the same time, the responsibility also lies with him. He should not just knock on the manager’s door, but must break it open.

The starlet came off the bench for half an hour against 10-man Everton on Monday evening.

It was a perfect opportunity for him to steal the spotlight and show the head coach what he truly brings to the table.

Unfortunately, Mainoo had minimal impact on the encounter as United fell to a 1-0 defeat.

These cameos are crucial for him to make it count, otherwise Amorim will continue to overlook him.

Club legends like Butt must also recognise that Mainoo is still very young, with time firmly on his side.

He must continue sharpening his attributes to evolve into the complete midfielder United desperately lack.

No successful club relies solely on a first-choice XI. They need depth, quality, and competition across the squad to compete at the highest level.

Stats from Fotmob.com

Article written by Sanidhya Bhardwaj .