Even in defeat, Manchester United’s opening-day performance felt like progress, but Ruben Amorim’s side followed that one up with a draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage, and it is clear there is still much work to do.
Whether the Red Devils succeed in welcoming further additions before the closure of the transfer market remains to be seen, but negotiations are ongoing with Belgian side Royal Antwerp for goalkeeper Senne Lammens, that pressure point of a position at Old Trafford, while Amorim has made it clear that he seeks a central midfielder too.
Man United have succeeded in refashioning their frontline, but with Mason Mount fit and catching the eye, Amorim has made the decision to drop Bruno Fernandes into a deeper midfield berth.
The skipper remains effective and influential, but it’s crucial that the right profile is partnered with him, lest tactical imbalances become more prominent.
With this in mind, it’s starting to look like Kobbie Mainoo’s time at the Theatre of Dreams could be drawing to a premature close.
The latest on Kobbie Mainoo's Man Utd future
Mainoo is a cherished part of his current Manchester United crop. He’s one of their own. However, Amorim clearly hasn’t warmed to him despite his impressive debut campaign in red.
Indeed, the England international’s reduced playing time under the Portuguese tactician’s wing has led him to consider his future at Old Trafford, and a potential departure before the deadline is now on the cards.
Already, the 20-year-old has played 72 times for Man United’s senior side, scoring as Erik ten Hag’s side defeated Manchester City to win the 2023/24 FA Cup final, but as Amorim alludes to, there is no room at the inn right now.
His departure this summer would be a contentious thing for those of a Man United persuasion, but there’s little doubt that, should he leave, United would act to bring in an exciting replacement.
Man Utd discuss move for new midfielder
According to GIVEMESPORT, Manchester United are interested in signing Stuttgart midfielder Angelo Stiller before the transfer market slams shut, and are engaged in internal discussions over a formal offer.
However, there are some within the INEOS hierarchy with reservations over signing the German international, for he does not boast a similar profile to Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, a top summer target whose route to Manchester has been closed off by his employers.
Valued at €60m (around £51m), Stiller, 24, could become a more concrete target upon the possible departure of Mainoo, whose exit is indeed edging toward happening.
How Stiller compares to Mainoo
Stiller’s technical quality and completeness in the middle of the park make him an intriguing option for Amorim’s Manchester United side, who could do with some more fluency and quality when directing the flow of their attacking play from X to Y.
A product of Bayern Munich’s youth academy, Stiller has since left for Hoffenheim and then been rehoused once more at Stuttgart, where he played 83 times, scoring five goals and supplying 17 assists while protecting the backline from his anchoring berth.
Looking at how the deep-lying playmaker compares to Mainoo, you begin to see why Jason Wilcox and Amorim are eager to snap him up.
Mainoo was at his career best during that breakout season. The 2023/24 term put the then teenager’s name on the map, all right. However, Stiller’s roundedness suggests he could prove an upgrade on the Three Lions man.
Matches (starts)
32 (31)
24 (24)
Goals
1
3
Assists
8
1
Touches*
90.3
49.0
Pass completion
90%
87%
Big chances created
13
0
Key passes*
1.8
0.6
Dribbles*
0.6
1.3
Ball recoveries*
4.4
4.0
Tackles + interceptions*
2.3
2.9
Duels won*
4.2 (58%)
5.0 (52%)
Mainoo might have a bit more of a robust defensive profile, but Stiller’s press resistance and slick, smooth ball-playing game make him a more Amorim-shaped midfielder in any case. Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte leave plenty to be desired, but the tough-tackling duo do provide the squad with more variation.
Remarked by his Stuttgart teammate Denis Undav to be “one of the best sixes” currently hailing from Germany, Stiller also ranks among the top 3% of positional peers across Europe for passes attempted, the top 2% for progressive passes, the top 10% for assists and the top 8% for shot-creating actions per 90, courtesy of information from FBref.
Shot-creating actions are pieces of play that lead to a shot. These include moments such as a pass, take-on or foul being drawn.
His creativity and maestro-like skills might appear to be more in line with the talents of Fernandes, and perhaps that is so, but with Mainoo so frustratingly on the periphery in Amorim’s system, does it not make sense for the outfit to target a replacement who differs and who aligns with the manager’s vision?
Given that Liverpool have also shown a vested interest in the German this year, it would appear that his is a profile which could have a positive effect on the development of Amorim’s project.
Mainoo only started 19 times in the Premier League last year, and his 45% success rate in the duel further underscored Amorim’s hesitance about unleashing him from the outset each week.
Praised by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley for his “special” skill set, Stiller’s signature could come with the promise of progression, and while many would rightly hope for Mainoo to stay put, his sale would demand a suitable replacement.
And, through the Stiller, initial frustration would be tempered and then some.
