MANCHESTER UNITED | CONTRACT NEWS
April 22, 2026 — SoloScore
Just a few months ago, Kobbie Mainoo looked like he might be on his way out of Manchester United. The midfielder had fallen down the pecking order under Ruben Amorim, his minutes were drying up, and the murmurs around his future were getting louder. Fast forward to today, and he's on the verge of signing a new five-year contract that will see his wages quadruple. Football is a strange game.
Sky Sports report that Mainoo has verbally agreed to an extension that would keep him at Old Trafford until 2031. His weekly wages are set to jump from £25,000 to a reported £120,000 — a transformation that tells you everything about how dramatically his stock has risen since Michael Carrick took the reins.
From Forgotten Man to First-Team Regular
The story of Mainoo's revival under Carrick is one of the more satisfying tales in English football this season. Under Amorim, neither Mainoo nor Harry Maguire featured in the Portuguese manager's long-term plans, with both players seemingly heading towards the exit door when the summer window opened.
But then Carrick arrived, and everything changed. The former United midfielder clearly sees something in Mainoo that Amorim did not — or at least views the system differently enough that the 20-year-old fits naturally into it. Since Carrick took charge, Mainoo has started every single one of United's nine Premier League fixtures. He's gone from peripheral to essential, and the contract talks followed naturally from that.
According to Goal.com, Carrick himself has been key to driving the extension, publicly backing Mainoo and hinting in press conferences that the club were getting close to an agreement. When a manager speaks that warmly about a player publicly, it sends a clear signal — and it appears to have worked.
The Numbers Don't Lie
A jump from £25,000 to £120,000 a week is extraordinary by any measure. That's not a pay rise — that's a reclassification. United are essentially acknowledging that Mainoo's original deal undervalued him significantly, and that keeping him on a premium salary is essential if they want to avoid any future uncertainty around his future.
At 20 years old, with a five-year deal on the table, Mainoo would be tied to Old Trafford until he's 25 — right through what should be his peak years. For United, getting that security in place now, before European clubs start looking harder at him, is smart business.
The irony isn't lost on anyone that he nearly left when his wages were a fraction of what he'll now earn. Had Amorim stayed and Mainoo departed, United would potentially be looking at losing one of the most promising midfielders of his generation on the cheap, with zero return.
A Rare Good News Story at Old Trafford
It's been a turbulent couple of years at Manchester United. The managerial change, the financial pressures from INEOS ownership restructuring, the inconsistent results — there's been no shortage of noise and drama. So a straightforward good news story about one of their most exciting homegrown talents committing his future to the club feels genuinely refreshing.
Mainoo came through the United academy and represents exactly the kind of player they need to keep. Local, talented, loyal, and young — he's the blueprint for what the club wants to build under its new direction. The fact that this deal nearly didn't happen should serve as a warning about how quickly things can unravel if the right manager isn't in place.
What Comes Next?
The verbal agreement is in place but paperwork still needs to be signed — reportedly expected within the next few weeks. Once it's done, United will have one of the most exciting young English midfielders locked down for the foreseeable future.
Alongside Maguire also extending, Carrick is building real stability and continuity at Old Trafford. After years of upheaval, that consistency — knowing your best players are staying — is exactly what a rebuilding club needs. Mainoo's renewal might just be the piece that sets the tone for United's summer.
Quick Facts: Mainoo's New Deal
- Current Club: Manchester United
- Age: 20 years old
- Position: Central Midfielder
- Deal Length: 5 years (to 2031)
- Old Wage: £25,000 per week
- New Wage: ~£120,000 per week
- Status: Verbal agreement, paperwork pending
Sources: Sky Sports | Goal.com
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