Manchester United moved level on points with Chelsea on Monday after beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 4-1 at Molineux.
It was a victory that United were able to secure without Kobbie Mainoo being named in their starting XI.
The midfielder did come on, but he is yet to make a start in the Premier League under Ruben Amorim this season.
After links in the summer, Chelsea fans wanted their club to sign Mainoo, who probably would have got minutes at Stamford Bridge following injuries to Romeo Lavia and Dario Essugo and Moises Caicedo’s suspension.
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Nicky Butt claims Manchester United would try to sign Kobbie Mainoo if he played for Chelsea
It is fair to say that United legend Nicky Butt is not too happy about Mainoo’s lack of game time at Old Trafford.
Speaking about the England international on The Good, The Bad & The Football, the retired midfielder said: “That will be another one, another one that’s homegrown, that’ll leave the football club and be a superstar somewhere else.
“I am telling you now, if Kobbie Mainoo were playing for Chelsea, Crystal Palace, what’s the lad at Palace called? [Adam] Wharton.
“If Kobbie Mainoo were playing for Chelsea, for Fulham, Crystal Palace or Wolves, or a team that’s, no disrespect, a bottom half team, Man United go and buy him for 70, 80 million.”
While Mainoo never joined Chelsea in the last transfer window despite rumours of the Blues being interested in him, they were able to land his teammate Alejandro Garnacho.
Garnacho can still improve, but he has produced some good moments at Chelsea since arriving, including registering two assists in a single game against Wolves.
Kobbie Mainoo could end up at Chelsea
It is not impossible that Mainoo eventually joins Garnacho at Chelsea as his contract continues to run down.
The United academy graduate’s current deal expires in 2027, while the Blues still appear to have him on their radar.
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Journalist Mark Ogden has not ruled out Mainoo moving to Chelsea in the new year, with the midfielder fitting the profile of player the club like to sign.
With Lavia and Essugo injured and Caicedo suspended, Mainoo could have come in handy at Stamford Bridge.
Caicedo will serve the final match of his three-game suspension on Saturday when Chelsea face David Moyes’ in-form Everton side. Before then, he could feature in their Champions League tie against Atalanta.
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