West Ham are being heavily linked with a January loan move for Man United star Kobbie Mainoo but Paul Scholes has warned about reality of signing him.

The Hammers board are vowing to back Nuno Espirito Santo with signings to try and keep West Ham in the Premier League.

Man United midfielder Kobbie Main ooo, as well as Red Devils striker Joshua Zirkzee, are said to be among Nuno’s top targets.

Mainoo is out of favour with Manchester United’s under pressure manager Ruben Amorim.

Nuno reportedly wants the Hammers to sign Man United’s Mainoo as he eyes a midfielder with ‘real speed across the ground’.

Nuno wants Mainoo for box-to-box role at West Ham

The Hammers have finally landed on a midfield mix which seems to work with Freddie Potts, Soungoutou Magassa and Mateus Fernandes.

But Nuno continues to tinker with it and is said to specifically want ‘a number six or an eight who can go box-to-box’.

Where do you think West Ham would be right now if they had hired Ruben Amorim in 2024?

“Obviously my trip was a mistake. The timing was completely wrong. It didn’t seem right at the time.

“It was wrong, especially when I’m so demanding with my players and always the first to say that each one’s actions can overpower the team. I have already removed players from the squad for much less.

“It was my mistake, I have to accept it and live with it.”

– Ruben Amorim on holding talks with West Ham while still Sporting coach, April 2024

Mainoo fits that bill and looked set to be a superstar for club and country when he burst on the scene with Man United.

Many Red Devils fans have been left baffled at the 20-year-old’s lack of game time.

The midfielder is said to be pushing for a loan move in January in the hope that starting regularly in the Premier League for the rest of the season will earn him a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England World Cup squad.

West Ham have been awaiting Amorim’s answer on Mainoo after making an official approach about a loan deal last month.

The Hammers were put on red alert over Mainoo when a top BBC journalist delivered an intriguing update on his future this week.

The report suggests Mainoo’s exit could be close if he fails to get more game time when three key Manchester United players depart for AFCON.

Now Paul Scholes has warned West Ham what will happen if they sign Mainoo as the Man United star nears an Old Trafford exit.

With talk of a move gathering pace, the Man United legend has made clear what he believes would inevitably transpire if Mainoo were to leave — and his comments will raise eyebrows in east London.

Scholes, one of the greatest midfielders in modern history, rates Mainoo highly.

Scholes warns West Ham what will happen if they sign Mainoo

He was infuriated when Mainoo was an unused sub in Man United’s recent 1-1 draw with the Hammers.

Scholes now believes it is only a matter of time until the West Ham target leaves Manchester United.

But he has warned the England starlet may need as many as eight games to get back into his groove and show anything like his best.

“Mainoo is going to have to leave,” Scholes said on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast.

“And you know what will happen now?

“He will get brought on, and he won’t play great because he needs five, six, seven or eight games.

“And then Amorim will go: “told you so…’

“Amorim has said Kobbie Mainoo is a starter… every appearance he’s made in the Premier League has been as a sub. Things like that wind me up.

“I wouldn’t mind if he was in a good team and they were winning every week and keeping possession but they’re rubbish. Kobbie is a 20-year-old kid and he’s not playing, he’s going to have to leave. Do you know what will happen now? Amorim will bring him into a game and he won’t be great but that’s because he needs regular games…

Jesse Lingard is West Ham’s BEST ever Premier League loanee! Discuss…

And would you take him back at 32?

“I bet he takes the p— out of Casemiro every single day in training and is brilliant. I don’t know why the club are letting Amorim treat a homegrown talent like that.”

The January window opens in less than three weeks and West Ham have one domestic loan spot open to them.

But the prospect of a player needing so many games to get up to speed, given the very serious situation the Hammers find themselves in, will give West Ham fans flashbacks of Kalvin Phillips.

That being said, Jesse Lingard had not seen much action before he joined the Hammers from Man United and lit up the Premier League for six memorable months.