Mainoo and Zirkzee Want Out
Manchester United are preparing for discussions with unsettled pair Kobbie Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee ahead of the January transfer window. Both players have become increasingly dissatisfied with their limited playing time under Ruben Amorim and are reportedly eager to move elsewhere in search of regular football and a place at the 2026 World Cup.
Mainoo’s frustrations have been simmering since August, when he asked to leave after being left out of United’s opening two league matches. The club refused to sanction a move, instructing him to stay and compete for his place despite facing fierce competition from captain Bruno Fernandes. Since then, the 20-year-old has continued to feature only sporadically and is still awaiting his first Premier League start of the campaign. His most significant contribution came when he replaced the injured Mason Mount for 45 minutes against Burnley on 30 August, while his latest outing saw him play just 13 minutes in the win over Sunderland. Chelsea had previously shown interest in the midfielder, with United reportedly demanding around £70 million for his services.
Zirkzee’s situation appears even more concerning. Signed from Bologna by Erik ten Hag for £36.5 million last year, the forward has struggled to find a role under Amorim. He has been an unused substitute five times this season and has accumulated only 74 minutes of playing time across three appearances, none of them starts. His longest spell came against Burnley, where he filled in for the injured Matheus Cunha, but since then, his involvement has been limited to short cameos against Manchester City and Brentford. Both players now seem determined to seek fresh opportunities in January unless their prospects improve drastically in the coming weeks.
Mac Allister Could Miss United Clash
Liverpool may have to face Manchester United without Alexis Mac Allister when the two sides meet at Anfield next weekend. The Argentine midfielder is currently on international duty with his national team, whose friendly against Puerto Rico has been postponed from Monday to Tuesday evening in Miami, as reported by TyC Sports and relayed by Empire of the Kop.
If Mac Allister returns to Merseyside by Thursday, he would have only three days to prepare for the fixture, raising doubts about his readiness. The 25-year-old has started six of Liverpool’s seven Premier League games this term, missing only the clash with Newcastle due to a muscle injury. However, persistent fitness issues have prevented him from completing a full match, with Arne Slot frequently substituting him in the second half.
Slot is expected to monitor the midfielder closely before deciding whether to include him in the starting line-up. Should he be unavailable, Curtis Jones or Florian Wirtz could step in. Liverpool, who have suffered three consecutive defeats to Crystal Palace, Galatasaray and Chelsea, will be desperate to bounce back, but Mac Allister’s potential absence could prove a major setback as they host their fiercest rivals.
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