Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed that West Ham have made a firm offer to sign an England midfielder in January.
Speaking on his daily transfer podcast, the Italian insider claimed the Hammers have promised game time to out-of-favour Manchester United star Kobbie Mainoo.
West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo is known to want a box-to-box midfielder as one of his top priorities for the upcoming transfer window. Mainoo, 20, has slipped down the pecking order at Old Trafford, but it wasn’t long ago that he was being hailed as one of England’s brightest young prospects.
Romano Confirms Hammers Interest
Romano explained: “Kobbie Mainoo wanted to go on loan late in the summer transfer window, but Manchester United and Ruben Amorim decided against it at the time. Mainoo is not playing regularly, so he wants a loan move.
There is interest from West Ham, offering guaranteed minutes, and from Napoli, who are looking for midfield cover after Kevin De Bruyne’s injury.”
However, there does appear to be strong competition from abroad. Claret & Hugh’s top transfer source suggested the Serie A side may already be ahead in the race:
“He’s more likely to go to Italy — they’re in advanced talks. There’s interest from West Ham, though, but it’s still two months away and nobody has decided yet.”

No thank you move on and look for a striker and defender
Would be good addition to the squad but how can you guarantee anyone a start for every game. He would get a start if he was on top form, Which he probably would be.
Potts proved that he has the attributes required for the middle of the park. Earthy is now back from injury and should be given the opportunities instead of Mainoo especially with his contract situation at the end of the season.
With Paqueta, Fernandes and Magassa along with our academy boys, I feel we have enough options and should concentrate on the key positions we need to strengthen in – strikers and a commanding centre back.
It’s time to forget vanity signings or players that are over hyped like Mainoo and learn from our previous mistakes such as Kalvin Phillips and Evan Ferguson.
We need characters and players that will fight for our badge (hopefully a new one with United instead of London on it) as permanent acquisitions not loan players. Personally I’d love us to buy Charlie Cresswell as the CB option as he is English and scores goals.
Ideally we need a striker that will not need time to adapt to the Premiership, I’d go for Rodrigo Muniz at Fulham although that could prove expensive & difficult.
Lucas Stassin keeps getting linked and despite playing in the second tier of France he could prove less risky than someone from Brazil or Portugal.
Couldn’t have put it better myself Matt 👍
As well as Cresswell, Ballard at Sunderland is another similarly commanding CB
We have great midfielders unless Mainoo wants to come here permanently with an option to buy can’t see why we would favour him over the current options, he doesn’t score loads of goals, am guessing he would take Potts place or Fernandes ? Seems a bit odd and probably not realistic for a number of reasons not least our league position
I don’t really think Marino is good enough to offer him a guaranteed start,I think we have enough players already
He will be another player that will be a regret and will get stuck with
Please think again
At what I have seen of him at Man Utd does not light my fire
Very average player