Scott McTominay gave an admirable response when asked about players who have left Manchester United before improving at their new clubs.
After joining Manchester United at the age of five and graduating from the academy in 2017, Scott McTominay left Old Trafford to sign for Napoli over a year ago.
The versatile midfielder played in a range of positions under various managers at United before being voted Serie A’s most valuable player during Napoli’s title-winning campaign.
It proved to be a successful transfer for Napoli, after costing the Italian giants £26 million in the summer of 2024.
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Split image of Marcus Rashford in Barcelona jacket looking to the side and Harry Amass in Sheffield Wednesday kit looking to the side.
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McTominay has become an example of players who can leave United to achieve things elsewhere. The 29-year-old also guided Scotland to the 2026 World Cup as he goes from strength to strength.
The midfielder played a role in Napoli’s 2-0 win over AC Milan in the Super Cup Italiana semi-final on Thursday night, with Rasmus Hojlund scoring the winner.
Scott McTominay playing against AC Milan
Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP via Getty Images
Scott McTominay verdict on players leaving Man Utd
McTominay finished 18th in the running for the 2025 Ballon d’Or, but he isn’t the only footballer to leave United to achieve things elsewhere in recent years.
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Antony left United on loan last season and rejuvenated his career at Real Betis before earning a permanent move. There is a similar process ongoing with Marcus Rashford at Barcelona, while Hojlund continues to impress on loan at Napoli.
In an interview with CBS Sports, McTominay was quizzed on players who have left Old Trafford in recent years, but he did not give the response many expected.
McTominay made it clear he did not agree with Kate Abdo’s suggestion that United were the problem rather than the players who left. He views that as an easy excuse to make.
“It’s too easy of an excuse to say, ‘Oh they left Man United and now they’re doing well.’ In my last year, I did well – I scored 10 goals and we won a trophy.
“With Marcus [Rashford], obviously there are different issues which might have transpired that we won’t go into. However, Marcus is a top player and he’s always been a top player, he’s one of the club legends, he’s scored so many goals for Man United, so many great things.
“Because the spotlight is directly on you, it makes it seem a lot worse in my opinion. Obviously, when players go away, and they play more games, they’re going to have an increase in confidence and feel better about themselves rather than playing less minutes at Man United, for example.
“But when you are at Man United, you have to earn those minutes like Bruno Fernandes, who has done incredible.”
McTominay was asked a follow-up question about whether a change in environment is what some players need after being at United.
He added: “Potentially yeah, but there are also some players who leave who people don’t speak about so much. But there also players who everyone speaks about.
“It depends on the individual and for me, I think it’s too easy an excuse to blame Man United as a club. Because whenever I was there, they did everything for me. They helped with my nutrition, training, tactically — everything is put there for you to succeed. It’s not like they don’t give you certain things that other clubs do.
“The myth of they go away and they’re better players comes down to confidence. If you go away and you play every single game and you score, and then you score again, and then people start speaking, you feel good about yourself and you want to continue in that way.”
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It’s a classy response from McTominay, but that won’t surprise United fans because he’s always been a class act.
Jadon Sancho is the odd one out
Fellow United loanee Jadon Sancho was sent to Aston Villa on loan at the beginning of the season.
Unlike the other United loanees mentioned in this report, Sancho is the only one who hasn’t performed or done enough to warrant a permanent move.
Sancho is likely to leave United as a free agent when his contract expires in the summer.
The England international has yet to register a goal contribution after making 13 appearances for Villa.
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