How Man United are trying to convince Kobbie Mainoo to stay, how Chido Obi is being targeted by online trolls and the two African nations who could do battle to sponsor club: MAN UNITED CONFIDENTIAL

Manchester United have held fresh talks with Kobbie Mainoo in the hope of finally reaching an agreement in prolonged contract negotiations.

Confidential revealed in January that Chelsea would lead the chase for Mainoo if United cannot tie the England midfielder to a new deal and reluctantly decide to sell him to comply with financial fair play rules.

As a homegrown player, Mainoo would generate 100 per cent profit – which would be substantial given that United value him at £70-80million and he is one of the lowest-paid first-team stars at Old Trafford.

Mainoo’s representatives want a pay rise to £180,000 a week plus bonuses which would bring him in line with his team-mates and reflect his status as an England regular.

The 19-year-old, who has been out of action for a month with a calf injury, still has more than two years left on his current contract. United are hopeful of convincing the Stockport-born player that his long-term future is at Old Trafford and reaching a compromise in talks.

Although United withstood interest for both Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho in the January window, and lowered the wage bill by sending Marcus Rashford and Antony on loan, both academy graduates are likely to be targets for rival clubs again in the summer.

Head coach Ruben Amorim insists he wants to keep Mainoo and Garnacho but cannot guarantee they will stay due to the financial pressures at Old Trafford, with United having to sell players in order to make signings in the summer.

Amorim has also struggled to find the best role for Mainoo in his 4-3-3 system before the player was injured in the FA Cup win over Leicester a month ago.

United shut down Obi copycats

One issue that has reared its head again recently is the number of social media impersonators pretending to be United players online.

Instagram has been the go-to social media application for many in the dressing room with a lot of them choosing to avoid the toxicity of X, formerly Twitter.

The club are particularly protective when it comes to this problem for academy players and Confidential understands that United staff have moved swiftly to come to the aid of Chido Obi after a number of hoax pages emerged around his first-team debut.

These accounts would often lift Obi’s material and imagery from Instagram verbatim and then purport to be him on other platforms, fooling thousands.

Many of these accounts have since been suspended or removed and Confidential can confirm the 17-year-old runs two accounts: his Instagram and TikTok pages.

The facility to purchase a blue verification tick on X has complicated the platform and blurred the lines for fans desperate to feel connected to their favourite players.

Obi has been catapulted to stardom since his recent promotion to the first team, with minutes against Tottenham, Everton and most recently Fulham in the FA Cup.

United sources will continue to closely monitor multiple platforms for copycat accounts and have vowed to take firm action.

Protests over ‘financial Armageddon’

Another week, another protest at Old Trafford as The 1958 prepare to make their voices heard before Sunday’s clash with Arsenal.

Last weekend, the Manchester United Supporters’ Trust joined forces with Fulham fans to make a stand against rising ticket prices and oppose what they see as exploitation.

On Sunday, it’s The 1958’s turn as the protest group stage a demonstration against the Glazers for leading United to the brink of ‘financial Armageddon’.

The group are urging fans to wear black to symbolise their club ‘slowly dying’ and join the protest which will begin at the Tollgate pub at 3pm and move down Talbot Road, Warwick Road and Sir Matt Busby Way before pausing at the Trinity statue and continuing down the Munich Tunnel.

A spokesman said: ‘The club is slowly dying before our eyes, on and off the pitch, and the blame lies squarely at the current ownership model.

‘The club is facing financial Armageddon. Debt is the road to ruin. Sir Matt Busby must be turning in his grave at the current plight of one of the world’s greatest football institutions which is being brought to its knees and in many ways becoming a laughing stock.

‘The club is going backwards and it’s likely to get even worse. We urge fans to rise up, unite and join us at 3pm on Sunday as we march to the ground and protest against the despised Glazers and the club’s deliberate assault on fan culture.

‘This is more than just a club to us. We are more than just a number on a seat.’

Mazraoui gets a break

It’s a sign of the multi-cultural nature of English football and changing attitudes within the game that last weekend’s FA Cup ties paused so Muslim players could break their fast during Ramadan.

United defender Noussair Mazraoui took advantage of the brief interval during the second half of Sunday’s fifth-round exit to Fulham. He drank a yoghurt and energy drink by the side of the pitch before eating a date, as is customary for Muslims at the fast-breaking meal known as Iftar.

Fulham winger Adama Traore is also a Muslim, but he had gone off injured before Stuart Attwell paused the game as part of the FA directive. Even though the governing body said it ‘would not be used as a team drinks break’, other players sensibly took the opportunity to rehydrate.

United’s 4.30pm kick-off and Manchester City’s evening clash with Plymouth on Saturday were the only two games affected by the Islamic holy month which began at the weekend.

… and gives away his shirts

There was a touching moment as Mazraoui departed Old Trafford on Sunday following the cup exit against Fulham.

One reporter, Aadam Haladh, waited patiently to see the Moroccan after the game to give him a tin of Medjoul dates as a gift for Ramadan.

Haladh planned to make similar gifts to Manchester City pair Omar Marmoush and Abdukodir Khusanov the day prior but did not get to meet them. He did give a tin to Plymouth Argyle boss Miron Muslic.

But United security staff made sure the reporter could wait by the players’ entrance to meet Mazraoui and exchange gifts.

‘The United security staff outside the players’ entrance were kind enough to allow me to wait in front of the barriers after showing them my pass,’ Haladh told Confidential.

‘Mazraoui and I exchanged greetings in Arabic, wishing each other peace and blessings and Ramadan Mubarak.

‘I gave him the tin of dates telling him it was a gift from me, which he accepted and politely responded by saying “for you, my shirt”, giving me both of his match-worn shirts.’

Each purchase of a Dates for Africa tin ensures that food and vital aid is provided in Africa through the One Nation charity. More details can be found here.

Fergie’s African adventure

As his role as a global ambassador for United comes to an end, who could blame Sir Alex Ferguson for making better use of his time by getting out to see the world?

The legendary former United boss will lose his £2m-a-year contract at Old Trafford at the end of the season as part of the cost-cutting under Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

But that hasn’t stopped Ferguson getting out and about, and he was spotted visiting the world-famous Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe during a trip to Africa.

The 83-year-old stayed at Safari Lodge where he was pictured with staff and tourism officials. The Zimbabwe Tourism Association also posted a video of Ferguson being greeted by tribesman in traditional dress with the message: ‘We appreciate your choice of holiday destination Sir Alex Ferguson, Zimbabwe loves you, please come again and continue to experience Zimbabwe.’

A tourism industry insider added: ‘Having a football legend like Sir Alex Ferguson here is a huge endorsement of our tourism sector. We hope such visits will encourage more international visitors to explore what Zimbabwe has to offer.’

… while Sir Jim eyes Tanzania tie-up

Speaking of African tourism, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has his own plan up his sleeve.

There was no sign of Ratcliffe on Sunday at Old Trafford as United went out of the FA Cup. Instead the Ineos billionaire was busy back in Monaco as he met a Tanzanian delegation led by Dr Hassan Abbasi.

Ratcliffe, flanked by his Six Rivers Africa team, spoke at length about plans to enhance wildlife conservation and use that as a way to enable sustainable tourism.

The 72-year-old is not solely worrying about the upcoming summer transfer window, one of the most important in United’s recent history, but that doesn’t mean he has taken his eye off the ball with the club.

As part of the meeting in Monaco, Ratcliffe and the Tanzanian delegation began discussing a potential marketing partnership with Destination Tanzania.

Ferguson vouching for Zimbabwe and Ratcliffe in cahoots with Tanzania. Let the battle commence…

Coaches take closer look at Ilunga

United coaches wanted to take a closer look at Under 15 centre back Glen Ilunga so the youngster has spent the last week on trial.

Despite big successes for the Under 16 and Under 18 teams, United are constantly seeking talent to bolster their ranks and Ilunga caught the eye after some recent performances at Manchester-based AR Elite Academy.

Figures with a knowledge of the teenager’s game speak of a player dominant in the air but also a centre back who is comfortable on the ball with a strong passing game – a trait that is becoming more and more important for central defenders.

Cole sympathy for strike duo

Andy Cole knows a thing or two about scoring goals for United, and the Treble winner believes Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee are suffering from not having a mentor to help them through difficult spells at the club.

Hojlund is on a goal famine stretching 18 hours and 38 minutes, while Zirkzee has only scored five goals in his first season at Old Trafford and had a decisive penalty saved in the shootout when United went out of the FA Cup to Fulham on Sunday.

Cole, who scored 121 goals in 275 appearances for United, has some sympathy for the pair because they have been ‘thrown in at the deep end’.

‘I think with Rasmus Hojlund, it’s been really tough for him, maybe even tougher due to the fact that he’s a young man going into Manchester United,’ Cole told OLBG.com

‘Manchester United are not creating many chances, not scoring many goals, and really being thrust in the deep end, especially when you’ve got no experts to be able to play with and guide you through it.

‘I’d also find it tough in that position and I think the positive with Rasmus is he works his socks off. Sometimes when you’re in that position you just need that little bit of luck.’

Cole added: ‘(Zirkzee is) similar to Rasmus Hojlund. When I went to Manchester United, I was fortunate I had a hell of a lot of experience there that could help me through my difficult times, not scoring goals or lacking a bit of confidence or whatever.

‘The two boys you’ve mentioned there, it’s been very difficult because they’ve gone into a team that’s finding form hard to come by.

‘They’re trying to gather momentum in a team that’s finding it a little bit tougher than most at the moment. So fingers crossed they’ll be able to turn it around.’

Youth Cup a beacon of hope

Confidential made the trip to north London on Friday night to witness United’s Under 18s come from behind with five minutes to go before beating Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup.

Adam Lawrence’s side – along with the thriving women’s team – are providing a rare bright spot in a season of woe for the men’s first team.

Darren Fletcher, a key conduit between the academy and Ruben Amorim, was in the director’s box at the Emirates Stadium to see his sons, Jack and Tyler, play key roles in the 3-2 extra-time win.

But it was neither the Fletcher twins, nor supersub Jim Thwaites, who took the headlines on the night. Instead, it was 18-year-old right back Jaydan Kamason.

The second year scholar shone in the previous round with two assists in the 5-1 win over Chelsea, but against Arsenal he took his game to another level and scored the crucial equalising goal at 2-2 to prevent United bowing out of the competition.

Goals have been a big focus for Kamason, a full-back who has always shown a willingness to burst forward, and he got his rewards on Friday night.

Now, staff are growing more and more optimistic that with United struggling in wide areas, it is only a matter of time before he is in Amorim’s thoughts.

‘In terms of training opportunities and being on the first-team radar, we speak about the Under 18s and Under 21s regularly and people above us know who the players are,’ Lawrence said after the Arsenal win.

‘Jaydan has been in real good form of late, so he’s in that position where he’s put in some real strong and consistent performances, as you’d expect from a second year Under 18 player here.

‘He’s in a real good space. He’s such a fantastic kid. He’s got real good athleticism and he likes to get forward on the outside. And, listen, he’ll be watching that goal back for a while. It was a tremendous moment for him to score that goal to bring it back to 2-2. A lovely occasion for him and he’s a top kid, so I’m really pleased for him.’

It will be an away trip to Aston Villa or Plymouth Argyle in the semi-final for Kamason and Co, with the Youth Cup draw throwing up the possibility of a final at Old Trafford between United and Manchester City.

Chido Obi, who scored seven goals in the opening three games, may not see another minute in this competition after breaking into the first team. But with Kamason, Thwaites, James Scanlon and more ascending at the right time, don’t bet against United adding to the trophy cabinet this season.