What a week it's been for Manchester United's midfield sensation, Kobbie Mainoo. The Carrington academy graduate has been making headlines left and right, and for all the right reasons.

First, the 21-year-old wonderkid put pen to paper on a contract extension that will keep him at his boyhood club until 2031. Then, just days later, he stepped up in the biggest way possible—scoring the winning goal against fierce rivals Liverpool to secure United's return to the Champions League after a two-year absence. It's the kind of fairy-tale rise that football fans dream of.

But here's the twist: Mainoo's journey to the top almost took a very different turn. Under former head coach Ruben Amorim, the young midfielder found himself on the outside looking in. Amorim didn't see Mainoo fitting into his rigid system, preferring to deploy Bruno Fernandes in a deeper role instead. The tension between player and manager grew so intense that Mainoo reportedly asked INEOS to let him leave, with clubs across Europe circling like sharks.

Napoli were eyeing a loan move, but according to The Daily Mail, it was Premier League rivals Arsenal who were leading the chase domestically. "As inconceivable as Mainoo leaving United would seem now, the disillusioned youngster came very close to going during his exile under Ruben Amorim," the report states. "Besides Napoli, who were Mainoo's preferred destination for a loan move, Arsenal were at the front of the queue of Premier League clubs waiting to see how the situation played out."

Thankfully for United fans, Mainoo stayed put. And it's a decision that's paid off in spades. The arrival of Michael Carrick has been a game-changer, helping the Stockport-born ace rediscover his mojo and become one of the first names on the teamsheet. It would have been a monumental mistake to let such a talented youngster slip through the cracks—regardless of Diogo Dalot's eyebrow-raising comments.

Now, with those dark days under Amorim firmly in the rearview mirror, fans can sit back and enjoy watching Mainoo strut his stuff. He's a player who embodies the spirit of Old Trafford, and his story is a reminder that sometimes the best moves are the ones you don't make.