Roy Keane has urged Kobbie Mainoo to fight for his place in the Manchester United side, rather than seeking alternative options amid speculation linking him with a move to Chelsea.
Mainoo's situation at United has been a topic of discussion since the summer. The England international requested a loan move away from the club during the latter stages of the transfer window, but United rejected the proposal.
Chelsea have been linked with the midfielder for some time, with the Blues earmarked as one of the clubs tipped to swoop in for Mainoo if he decided against signing a new deal at Old Trafford.
According to The Telegraph, Enzo Maresca's side have made a new central midfielder their top transfer priority in 2026 and Mainoo is one of their targets, alongside Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton.
The 20-year-old has made just 11 Premier League appearances under Ruben Amorim this season, with all of them coming as a substitute. His sole start this campaign came during the EFL Cup loss to League Two outfit Grimsby Town back in August.
Earlier this week, Mainoo's half-brother, Jordan Mainoo-Hames, caused a stir by sporting a 'free Kobbie Mainoo' T-shirt in a social media stunt during the 4-4 stalemate with AFC Bournemouth. Mainoo was introduced with less than 30 minutes remaining, marking his third-longest outing in the league this season, during an entertaining encounter at Old Trafford.
Mainoo-Hames shared the photograph on his Instagram account, prompting further questions regarding the midfielder's future and mindset. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Keane branded the incident foolish and called on Mainoo to graft his way into the team.
"Are you telling me that he can't sit there for another six months? He might think the manager's on his way out in the summer," Keane said. "He's 20 years of age, what's wrong with sitting and learning your trade? And even if he's not getting a chance, we've all had to do it.
"Sometimes a manager is on your case and what you have to do is prove them wrong. Jamie made a point that he never felt like a regular at Liverpool, I never felt like that at United. Every day is your chance to prove yourself to the manager and when the manager is picking his team, [he goes] 'he has to play'. He's got to get that in his mindset.
"And when he's got his idiot of a brother doing all that... we shouldn't even be giving that kind of stuff the time of day. Sometimes you're just surrounded by idiots, especially the families."
Keane continued regarding Mainoo's prospects at United: "What's football about? The life of a footballer is about trying to prove people wrong. There was chat about Bruno [Fernandes] leaving the summer, he might leave next summer. Bide your time.
"I have no problem players going out on loan, it can work for everybody, but sometimes as a player, your biggest challenge is here at Man United and getting into that first-team. Even if the manager is saying 'you're not going to get in over Bruno', prove them wrong!".
