David Moyes is rubbing salt into West Ham’s gaping Scott McTominay wounds after a new revelation about his bold Everton plans.
There is a parallel universe where Scott McTominay is patrolling the West Ham midfield and Harry Maguire is marshalling the Hammers’ backline.
The painful truth is that scenario was excruciatingly close to being a reality for the Hammers when David Moyes was looking to rebuild the side a couple of years ago.
West Ham were one of several Premier League clubs linked with McTominay when his time at Man United was coming to an end with Everton another.
Moyes, now back at Everton in his second spell, was looking to replace Declan Rice at West Ham and previously admitted he came agonisingly close to signing McTominay in a £30m deal.
Moyes admitted West Ham came so close to signing McTominay
“Lots of managers have hard luck stories about players that get away and McTominay is one because I tried to sign him for West Ham,” Moyes conceded previously, an admission which haunts Hammers fans with every heroic moment the Napoli and Scotland midfielder produces.
“He is a good all-round midfielder. McTominay was a player who I felt I needed at the time but we didn’t get it over the line.”
In the end Moyes signed James Ward-Prowse with the money, a player the club are now desperate to offload.
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Ironically, as exclusively reported by Hammers News, Ward-Prowse has actually been linked with a move to Everton for a reunion with his old boss.
Scott McTominay celebrates - Football, Italian Serie A: SSC Napoli won the italian championship
Photo by Elianton/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images
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Now Moyes is rubbing salt in West Ham’s gaping McTominay wounds after a new Everton revelation.
And it will only add to deepening frustration over West Ham’s failed 2023 pursuit of the Scottish sensation.
Away from the pressures of playing for a Manchester United side that has consistently struggled to cope with the weight of pressure of restoring the club to its former glory, McTominay has gone to a different level since his move to Italy.
Since his summer move from Manchester United to Napoli in August 2024, McTominay has scored 16 goals and registered six assists.
But his decisive contributions and leadership in the heart of midfield were just as important as he helped Napoli clinch the 2024-25 Serie A title, a historic moment in the club’s recent history.
Scott McTominay scores a stunning overhead kick in Scotland's win over Denmark
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
He was named Serie A Player of the Season after his standout campaign.
Joining Napoli has elevated the 28-year-old to a new level and he has become a legendary figure at the historic club, securing silverware, and earning top individual honours.
His influence for Scotland has also gone to another level, as evidenced by his astonishing overhead kick in the monumental win which secured their place at next summer’s World Cup.
Every time McTominay produces a moment of magic like that it is galling for West Ham and the club’s supporters.
Now Moyes could make things even worse by bringing McTominay to Everton.
Napoli are known for cashing in on star players when their stock is high.
Everton move rubs salt in West Ham’s gaping McTominay wounds
Football365 has repeated claims from Spain that Moyes has ordered Everton to prepare a club record £62m deal for McTominay.
It comes after rumours that McTominay wants to return to the Premier League.
After spending nearly £70m on brilliant midfield duo Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa – coupled with the emergence of Freddie Potts – West Ham will not have the money to compete with Everton and finish what they started with McTominay.
Although it could be good news for Nuno Espirito Santo’s own plans to sign James Garner from Everton.
Because the same report claims the Blues will offload the Man United academy graduate as part of their plan to sign McTominay.
It’s been hard enough for West Ham fans seeing McTominay shining for Napoli week in, week out over the last two years.
Having to witness that up close if he reunites with Moyes at Everton will be extremely sore.