Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been warned he would be making a huge mistake selling Kobbie Mainoo as the Manchester United co-owner admits every player has a price
Paul Parker has told Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe he would be making a big mistake selling England star Kobbie Mainoo.
United revealed this week that there could be a fire sale at Old Trafford this summer. It’s understood no player is immune from being sold if the price is right. This even includes midfield sensation Mainoo, who is a target of United’s top flight rivals Chelsea.
But Parker believes selling one of their homegrown stars like Mainoo would look bad on Ratcliffe and his INEOS Group. Parker told Betfred: “I’d look and say with Kobbie Mainoo, where he’s from and everything he is about, does he want to leave Manchester United?
“I would say no. I would look at the way he is as a person, is he going to be greedy in what he wants? I would say no. So I can’t see them doing that, because Manchester United has been built off players who have come through like him.
“If they were to do that, it would just cause too many issues. INEOS and the new kids on the block are already just hanging in there, so to do that would be a big statement to make.”
One-time United player Parker would have no problem with seeing sold is winger Alejandro Garnacho. He added: “Regarding Garnacho, if someone new were to come in, I don’t think he holds the same as Mainoo.
“Would he be missed in that sense? I would personally say no, not at all really, and doubt he would be missed too much if he were to go. It appears that he is already looking for that move anyway, and will go once he thinks that a big club abroad is going to be better than Manchester United.”
Discussions are also ongoing regarding Marcus Rashford’s future at the club with him falling out of Ruben Amorim’s plans. But United legend Louis Saha told Paddy Power that the England star only has himself to blame.
“When Marcus Rashford is on top form, he can go to any club in the world,” Saha said. “When he’s not on top form, we talk about everything regarding his lifestyle and attitude – he gives an opportunity for journalists to talk about that because he’s not performing on the pitch.
“He’s the star of this club, he was born there and has been at United his whole life, so more questions will be asked of him than Alejandro Garnacho, for example. Whether he stays at United will be based on his performance, not because a manager is playing his style. He has no excuses, he has to find his form, work hard and show impunity.
“If he wants to regain form to be selected for England, playing for Manchester United isn’t the problem, he has to look at himself. Rashford doesn’t need people to give him compassion, he’s that talented.
“The people that can help, whether it’s the fans, the manager, or his friends or family, have to understand that he needs to take his own responsibility, and that all the stories about him are a sign that he’s not doing the right thing. It’s not because of this or that, it’s him that needs to take the blame.”