Amorim 'runs out patience with Mainoo' as Man Utd target £52m rated Atalanta star

Ruben Amorim’s doubts over Kobbie Mainoo have taken a dramatic turn, with Manchester United now ‘likely’ to launch a summer bid for Atalanta’s £52m-rated Brazilian midfielder Ederson Silva.

The Portuguese boss seeks a new partner for Manuel Ugarte in his faltering midfield with the club having had one of its most disappointing seasons in recent times.

United’s Europa League quarter-final first leg against Lyon is their last shot at salvaging a dismal season.

Mainoo, 19, burst onto the scene under Erik ten Hag, scoring the decisive goal in the 2024 FA Cup final against Manchester City and making 60 appearances for his boyhood club.

But Amorim’s arrival has cast a shadow over the Stockport-born star. Sources tell TeamTalk that the manager is ‘increasingly unconvinced’ by Mainoo’s fit in his 3-4-2-1 system, where defensive discipline is non-negotiable.

Experiments with the teenager as a false nine—most notably in a 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace—have flopped, and his six goals in 18 months don’t match the dynamism Amorim craves.

Enter Ederson Silva, 25, a tenacious all-action midfielder who’s shone at Atalanta since 2022. With 15 goals and 12 assists in 92 games, plus three Brazil caps earned in 2024, he’s caught United’s eye as the ideal foil for Ugarte, who’s been a rare bright spot since his £42m move from PSG.

GiveMeSport reports that United are ‘determined’ to pair the duo, with Atalanta valuing Ederson at €60m (£52m)—a fee Sir Jim Ratcliffe could greenlight if Mainoo’s sale brings in the expected £70m-80m ‘pure profit’ under PSR rules.

“Ederson’s a beast—presses like a madman and can carry the ball forward,” a United source said. “Amorim sees him as the missing piece. Mainoo’s talented, but he’s not clicking in this setup.”

Chelsea sniffed around Mainoo in January, only to balk at United’s asking price, but a summer exit now looks plausible as Amorim molds the squad in his image.

The timing’s no coincidence—United face Lyon tomorrow (20:00 BST), needing a Europa League triumph to secure Champions League football and lure stars like Ederson.

A 0-0 derby draw with City on Sunday showed defensive grit but no attacking spark, amplifying calls for change. Selling Mainoo, a homegrown hero, would sting fans, but Ratcliffe’s ruthless streak—evidenced by Antony’s £50m Atlético move—suggests sentiment won’t stand in the way.

Ederson’s camp is open to a Premier League switch, though Atalanta’s mid-table Serie A push might delay talks until June. For now, Amorim’s focus is Lyon, but this £52m Brazilian chase signals a bold new era—and a potential end for Mainoo’s United story.