Stalemate: Chelsea in strong position to clinch surprise Man United transfer raid

Chelsea are reportedly the most likely team to swoop for Kobbie Mainoo if he ends up sealing a transfer away from Manchester United.

The talented young England international was a revelation for the Red Devils last season when he broke into the first-team under previous manager Erik ten Hag, and he looks like he’ll surely be an important part of the club’s future.

Still, it seems Chelsea are now keeping tabs on Mainoo’s situation as the 19-year-old’s contract talks are said to have hit something of a stalemate, according to a report from the Daily Mail.

Talks begin! Man United star edging closer to joining Euro giants

This story has come rather out of the blue, with Mainoo seeming settled at United after his impressive start to life at Old Trafford, but it seems all might not be entirely well behind the scenes.

Manchester United surely can’t lose Kobbie Mainoo to Chelsea

United will surely be desperate not to lose a talented homegrown player like Mainoo to rivals Chelsea, so perhaps this link is being put out there to put pressure on the club to sort out his new deal.

It will be interesting to see how this saga develops, but Chelsea fans will probably be quite excited, as Mainoo would be another top young talent to add to their list.

The west Londoners have done well in recent times to snap up some of the best prospects in world football, and Enzo Maresca has done a great job with these players this season.

It’s not that obvious that Chelsea need Mainoo at the moment, however, as they already have a clear first choice midfield partnership in the form of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, while Romeo Lavia is a very decent backup option.

Still, an opportunity like Mainoo would undoubtedly be tempting, so it seems it could be one to watch in the near future if contract talks don’t progress.

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