Kobbie Mainoo: possible alternative for Barça's midfield

FC Barcelona suffered another long-term loss after a serious injury to Pablo Gavi's right knee was confirmed. The 21-year-old player has an affected internal meniscus and will be out for between four and five months, according to the deadlines set by the club's doctors. In that sense, the possibility of signing another midfielder in the winter market is opened again.

In that sense, the latest information points to Kobbie Mainoo on Barça's radar. The Manchester United midfielder will turn 21 next April, but despite his talent and interesting projection, he has little for coach Rúben Amorim.

So far this season, the Stockport native has accumulated 166 minutes of action in 4 games, with one assist in the League Cup. Last season, his second as a first-team player, he scored a couple of goals and an assist in 37 appearances (2,079 minutes) with the 'red devils'.

Is Kobbie Mainoo an ideal player for Barcelona?

Due to his physical and technical characteristics, Mainoo is a natural pivot, although with a lot of offensive projection. His height (1.80 m) and corpulence do not detract from his speed, in addition to being quite orderly in covering spaces and safe with the ball at his feet.

As a substitute for Gavi, Kobbie clearly has the conditions to emulate the physical display of the '6' on the field, although the Andalusian has more confidence when stepping into the rival area. The '37' of United, for now, remains more as a player of marking and recovery, although he boasts 7 goals and 3 assists in 76 games with those of Old Trafford.

The most recent rumors from England point to a possible loan, without a mandatory purchase option, during the last semester of 25/26. Real Madrid has also been interested in Mainoo, but the permanence of Dani Ceballos closed the door to the signing of another midfielder this summer.

The English international has a contract until June 2027 and his market value already reaches 50 million euros in 'Transfermarkt'. If Kobbie ruled out renewing with Manchester next year, Barça and other big clubs in Europe could negotiate a transfer below this amount.

Barça, for now, rules out going to the market after Gavi's absence

In any case, for now, Barcelona does not plan to incorporate another midfielder in the winter market to cover Gavi's absence. First, because the club has other priorities to attend to before returning to rule 1/1, including resolving the renewals of Frenkie de Jong, Eric García and Andreas Christensen.

In addition, although the absence of the player from Los Palacios y Villafranca is sensitive for Hansi Flick, the Azulgrana squad has other trusted players for the midfield. Such is the case of Marc Casadó, Marc Bernal and Eric García himself, all three with conditions and quality to lend a hand as a defensive pivot.

In the case of Casadó, his vision of the game and remarkable transfer will also allow him to relieve Pedri González when the Canary Islander needs rest. Even De Jong can do the job, although the magic of the '8' is vital and irreplaceable for the Azulgrana team at this time.

As things stand, Barça will continue to pay attention to the future of Kobbie Mainoo and other 'pearls' in the upcoming transfer windows, but with the peace of mind that comes from having enough players to cope with the injuries that inevitably occur due to an increasingly tough calendar for elite footballers.

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