Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo won’t be going to the World Cup with England if he stays stuck on the fringes under Ruben Amorim.
The 20-year-old still hasn’t started a single Premier League match this season. As far as his World Cup prospects go, it’s not looking good.
He’s far from alone. A number of Premier League players are in the same position – too good to be warming the bench, or too talented to be stuck at struggling clubs – with West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta among those who might need a change of scenery in January.
Here’s our Premier League XI of World Cup hopefuls who could really use a move in the winter transfer window.
Players who need January transfer to rescue World Cup spot
GK: Filip Jorgensen (Chelsea)
If Chelsea have any sense, which they don’t, they will sign a goalkeeper in January. Mike Maignan is right there, lads.
Should Maignan – or any other new No.1 – join the Blues, Jorgensen would drop to third in Enzo Maresca’s goalkeeper pecking order.
Given his reputation, his place in the squad might be safe (if Denmark qualify via the play-offs), but there’s no chance he starts at the World Cup.
Even without the addition of a new goalkeeper, it’s difficult to see Jorgensen breaking into Chelsea’s starting XI, even if his competition is only Robert Sánchez. With all due respect…
RB: Malo Gusto (Chelsea)
Malo Gusto’s chances of making Didier Deschamps’ World Cup squad look slim, but a January move could change that.
Staying at Chelsea might work out given Reece James’ injury record, but Gusto has struggled when given minutes – poor against Nottingham Forest when pushed into midfield, before picking up a needless red card.
He was in the most recent France squad and while Jules Kounde is nailed on, the back-up role behind the Barcelona right-back is there for the taking.
CB: Sebastiaan Bornauw (Leeds)
It’s early days for Bornauw at Leeds, but two Premier League minutes played so far is hardly encouraging.
The four-cap Belgian international hasn’t featured for his country in over a year, and there’s little chance he returns to the fold while sitting on the bench at Elland Road.
CB: Nathan Ake (Manchester City)
Nathan Ake has just one Premier League start this season amid fierce competition for places in Pep Guardiola’s backline.
There’s also fierce competition for spots in Ronald Koeman’s Netherlands squad, with Virgil van Dijk, Jurrien Timber, Jan Paul van Hecke, Micky van de Ven and Stefan de Vrij all in the mix.
We’re not sure where Ake could go, but one start from 15 games isn’t nearly enough for a player of his calibre.
LB: Antonee Robinson (Fulham)
Robinson was one of the left-backs we thought Liverpool could sign last summer, yet he can barely get a kick for Fulham this season after being overlooked in favour of Milos Kerkez.
The United States international featured in only three of the Cottagers’ opening seven league fixtures before suffering a knee injury, which has been troubling him for some time and likely explains why Marco Silva has used him sparingly even when available in 2025/26.
He should return soon, but if he isn’t being selected when fully fit, he may start considering a January transfer.
CM: Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)
Napoli have been linked with Mainoo again, and his minutes under Ruben Amorim aren’t improving.
The 10-cap England international was a breakout star under Gareth Southgate during the run to the Euro 2024 final, but his form dipped in United’s dire 2024/25 campaign. Now, his World Cup place under Thomas Tuchel is in jeopardy.
If playing time doesn’t improve, Mainoo has no chance of going to North America. A move to Napoli could reignite his career. Scott McTominay’s success in Serie A should be all the proof he needs that Italy might just be the place to be.
CM: Lucas Paqueta (West Ham)
Not a playing-time issue this one, Paqueta reportedly wants out of West Ham, whose start to the season has been nothing very poor. They are currently 18th in the league table with 13 points from 15 games.
He was linked with an exit in the summer, but nothing materialised, and his goal celebration in West Ham’s only league win at Nottingham Forest was supposed to end speculation. His next one, if it ever comes, should probably involve him searching for a phone to answer a call from elsewhere rather than throwing it away.
Brazil’s squad depth means Paqueta needs to be playing, and thriving, to earn a spot. Unless West Ham dramatically improve or he moves, he’s not going to the World Cup.
CM: Joao Gomes (Wolves)
Gomes is in a similar situation to Paqueta – too good to be stuck in a relegation fight.
He’s made 10 appearances for Brazil but only played 45 minutes for his country this year, and was an unused substitute in recent friendlies against South Korea and Japan. Wolves’ awful form hasn’t yet killed his chances, but if they finish bottom, which looks extremely likely, Gomes can forget about the World Cup.
RW: William Osula (Newcastle United)
Osula almost left Newcastle in the summer transfer window but, despite a potentially significant fee from Frankfurt, the Magpies said no to avoid being left short in attack.
Since the start of September, he has played just 98 minutes in the Premier League, hasn’t started a single match, and didn’t even get the nod in the Carabao Cup win over Spurs.
His Denmark chances were already slim going into the campaign, but they’re essentially non-existent now. A January move could change that… though Denmark might not even make it to North America.
LW: Federico Chiesa (Liverpool)
Chiesa is part of a squad lacking attacking depth, which makes a January exit tricky. But he needs minutes to make the World Cup.
He’s yet to start a Premier League game despite Mo Salah’s poor form, though he did score on matchday one against Bournemouth and nearly rescued a point at Crystal Palace.
A return to Italy makes perfect sense, for his club career and his international ambitions.
ST: Niclas Fullkrug (West Ham)
It looks very likely that Fullkrug will return to Germany in January after an underwhelming 18 months in England.
We’re not massively surprised by how his time at West Ham has gone, and in classic Hammers fashion, he’ll obviously score 20 goals for his new club between January and June before winning the Golden Boot at next summer’s World Cup.
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