Scott McTominay in action for Napoli during the 3-1 win over Atalanta at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)placeholder image
Scott McTominay in action for Napoli during the 3-1 win over Atalanta at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. (Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Man United sold a midfield star in the summer of 2024 for just £26m; he has since become one of the best in the world.
Man United will be delighted that they have been able to put together a string of positive form under Ruben Amorim. It finally looks as though the United boss is beginning to make things work at Old Trafford despite several calls for him to be sacked earlier in the season.
One of the biggest failings at the club in recent seasons has been the transfer strategy. Still, again, this season, things appear to be improving, with both Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha looking like excellent additions.
Perhaps United’s biggest mistake in recent years was the sale of Scott McTominay, as the Scottish international has been exceptional since he left to join Napoli in 2024. The Red Devils sold the midfielder for just £26m.
Alan Smith says selling McTominay was a “big disappointment”
Since leaving for Napoli, McTominay has scored 18 goals in 50 games and has become one of the best in the Serie A, even getting himself a Ballon d’Or nomination last year. Ex-Premier League striker Alan Smith has said that it was a “big disappointment” to see United sell the midfielder.
Smith said: “There’s a real disappointment with me that every young player that comes through a club seems to get sold because of the rule. That's my big disappointment. He went with a point to prove, and he’s done exceptionally well. What I will say is that before he left, he was scoring goals!
“I just feel like, from the club's perspective, if it is financial fair play, it kind of defeats the whole purpose of having the academy and having people to come through your academy, if it's incentivising you to sell these players. From the outside looking in, you've got a homegrown player and you're more incentivised to sell that player than you are someone who has been at the club for two or three years. I don't know how that's good for English football.”
Could McTominay return to Old Trafford?
Smith did suggest that he thinks a return to Manchester could be possible for the Scottish star. He said: “You’d hope that they have some kind of deal in place that they have first option on him. You'd like to see him back at United, but would he want to come back?
“He's playing really well and enjoying himself over there and he's now a hero in Napoli. Fair play to him because he's taken the bull by the horns and done really well. Maybe he did want to prove a point to United…”
Reports have said that Arsenal and Tottenham have ‘sounded out’ McTominay’s camp about a potential move back to England, but nothing concrete seems to have happened yet, and a January move looks very unlikely for the midfielder.
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