Real Madrid are unlikely to make any signings in January, but the club have not ruled out accepting players on loan deals. Kobbie Mainoo, who is looking to leave Manchester United before the window closes, stood a realistic chance of reaching the Spanish capital before his parent club insisted on attaching a buy-clause to the deal. This adamance has now led to the collapse of the deal, and the 20-year-old's dream of playing for Real is all but over, sources close to the Spanish team said.
The 20-year-old Englishman was well-liked by one of Real Madrid's scouts, and the club was open to considering him for the remainder of the season. However, United were unwilling to accept any loan deal without an obligation to buy. This was said to be the only prerequisite to the Red Devils partially agreeing to Mainoo's request to leave.
"Manchester United are demanding that, after a six-month loan, any club acquiring the player on loan must be obligated to buy him outright starting 1 July. Real Madrid is out of the running. They're not interested," Los Blancos-linked Defensa Central said. The development also hints that a player of Mainoo's style is not part of Real's long-term plan, although the club is looking to further strengthen its midfield department next summer.
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Serie A's Napoli has once again become the frontrunner to sign the United academy graduate, the report added. Once the golden boy destined for greatness at Old Trafford, Mainoo fell down the pecking order under Ruben Amorim. The gaffer is not willing to choose the youngster over captain Bruno Fernandes and is unwilling to let him go either. Mainoo is not okay with being patient and playing second fiddle any longer as the FIFA World Cup is fast approaching and his place in the squad is at stake.
"United would have to replace him to provide extra cover in their midfield for the remainder of the season. That is likely to mean a bigger bill to bring in a new player who would be less familiar than Mainoo with the United environment," Sky Sports had said in a report. Napoli, meanwhile, has become a hub for former Manchester United players. Some reports claim that Antonio Conte likes Mainoo so much that he may still green-light the team's plan to approach the Premier League team for him, even if it means claiming him on a permanent deal.
