Latest Manchester United transfer news and gossip as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer shares his view on Scott McTominay’s sale
Comments
Sport
Scott McTominay
Scott McTominay has won the Serie A title and MVP award this season
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Manchester United should have resisted interest from Napoli in Scott McTominay last summer.
The 28-year-old, who had been on United's books since the age of six, made the switch to the Serie A giants in a £25million move last year. His sale was partly driven by United’s need to improve their Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) position - with homegrown players offering a vital boost, as any sale represents pure profit.
McTominay has seen early success in Italy, becoming a key player for Antonio Conte. He scored 13 goals and provided six assists in 39 games across all competitions this campaign.
Napoli secured the Scudetto, with McTominay scoring in the 2-0 win over Cagliari on the final day. Celebrating his first trophy for the club, he shared a picture of him kissing the Serie A trophy on social media.
"Hard work always catches up with perfect timing. CAMPIONI D’ITALIA," he wrote alongside the post.
The former Reds academy graduate was also named Serie A’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for 2024/25. "I'm lost for words," he said after the game.
"It's incredible, you know — the sacrifice that every single player in the group has made for the cause. And the people deserve it because they've been behind us from day one, and for me to come and experience this is a dream."
Having settled well into life in Serie A, the midfielder was the focus of a BBC Sport report on how he became a Napoli icon following his exit from Old Trafford. "A fee of £25.7m looks like an absolute bargain now," the report read.
Responding to McTominay’s season, his former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told BBC Sport: "How you can sell Scott is beyond me. Scott and Fred together - they were lads you could count on every day to give 100 per cent."
United, on the other hand, have endured their worst domestic campaign since 1974 - finishing 15th in the Premier League standings.
"Man United is my family and will always be part of me," the Besiktas boss added. "In football, you don't feel sorry for anyone because we are privileged, absolutely 100 per cent privileged to be able to work in clubs like this.
"But for me, it is hard to watch because it is your family that is struggling. It is never easy at the weekend when you look at the table."
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group.
You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate.
Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.