Ruben Amorim Questions Man United Academy Quality as He Defends Kobbie Mainoo Omission

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has publicly questioned the quality of the club's academy graduates, naming three young players who he claims are "struggling" to justify his decision to sideline fan-favourite Kobbie Mainoo.

United has a storied history of developing homegrown talent, with legends like Paul Scholes and Gary Neville and modern stars like Marcus Rashford all rising through the ranks. However, Amorim has made it clear he will not be influenced by sentiment when selecting his team.

The manager singled out midfielder Toby Collyer, 21, left-back Harry Amass, 18, and striker Chido Obi, 18, as examples of academy products who have failed to make a significant impact.

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Collyer, once tipped to challenge Casemiro for a first-team spot, has made only three starts during his loan spell at Championship side West Brom. Amass is currently with Sheffield Wednesday, a club facing its own on-field struggles, while Obi has reportedly stagnated in the Under-21s.

Amorim used their situations to defend his limited use of Mainoo, who is now reportedly seeking a move away from the club.

"He (Collyer) played for the United first team. He's from the academy," Amorim stated. "He went to West Bromwich. He's not playing... So sometimes it's not because he's from the academy or whatever. It's the situation."

"Amass is now struggling in the Championship. Chido (Obi) is not always a starter in the under 21s," he added.

The Portuguese manager's handling of Mainoo has drawn sharp criticism from club legends Rio Ferdinand, Paul Scholes, and Nicky Butt, who believe the midfielder needs to leave for the sake of his career after not starting a single Premier League game this season.

In response, Amorim suggested the issue lies with his tactical setup. "The problem is that we are playing with two midfielders and you guys see Kobbie in a different way," he explained. "Maybe if we play with three midfielders, Kobbie will have more minutes."

Despite the backlash, Amorim acknowledged the club's underperformance and accepted the criticism from former players.

"Sometimes they don't have all the information and they see Manchester United with the standards that they lived here, always winning," Amorim said ahead of the Bournemouth clash. "I take that naturally. It's a fact that me as a manager of Manchester United, I think we are underachieving."

"The problem is that me, as a manager, I'm not doing good enough and I can accept that. Not winning is the issue,” he further said.

Mainoo is expected to push for a loan move again when the January transfer window opens. Napoli, who were interested in the summer, are reportedly frontrunners to secure his signature.

Amorim confirmed he has not discussed a potential move with the player but remains open to it. "I just want my players happy, and I understand that every individual has their goals," he said. "The team comes first and I will be really pleased if Kobbie comes to talk to me about that."