Manchester United icon Rio Ferdinand has suggested his old club is making a mistake by selling Scott McTominay to Serie A side Napoli. Ferdinand believes clubs need squad players like McTominay to win league titles and major trophies.
Manchester United Close To Selling Scott McTominay To Napoli
According to trusted reports, Man Utd academy graduate McTominay is on his way to Naples. The Red Devils will receive around €30 million ($33.49 million) from the deal and there will also be a 10% sell-on clause in his contract. Erik ten Hag’s side will use the money received from McTominay’s sale to sign Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain. The Mancunians have reportedly agreed to pay €50 million ($55.8 million) and a further €10 million ($11.2 million) in add-ons for the Uruguayan midfielder.
McTominay could not establish himself as a guaranteed starter since breaking into the first team in 2017. However, he did pop up with important performances to help his team to crucial wins. The most recent instance of his heroics came in the FA Cup quarter-finals last season. McTominay scored a fine goal as Manchester United beat Liverpool 4-3 in extra time.
Rio Ferdinand Questions Decision To Sell Scott McTominay
Ex-United star Ferdinand was critical of his former club’s decision to sell McTominay, emphasizing the importance of squad players. On Rio Ferdinand Presents, he said (via The Independent):
“I look at Scott McTominay, and not every player can be a star standout player or a franchise player. I always say this, to win the league you need the likes of a John O’Shea, a Wes Brown, Darren Fletcher, Chicharito, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer from when we were at United.
“Or you need the likes of [Julian] Alvarez when he was at [Manchester] City, who can come in. Like last season Jeremy Doku was coming in and impacting games even though not necessarily always starting all the games. Those players are huge. You need those players and they understand the DNA, especially the ones who come through the academy. Man United have always stood by that.”
He concluded by adding:
“It really doesn’t sit well with me. To replace him you are going to have to spend, £30m, £40m, £50m and it’s not going to be cheap to replace him.
“It’s a gamble, you don’t what you’re going to get with that next player, whereas with him you know what you’re getting. It’s on the tin, he turns up when he’s playing, might not always be an eight or nine out of ten, but he is a good seven and every now and then he will be an eight and get you a goal.”
McTominay has played 255 games for the club since 2017, scoring 29 goals. His deal with the Red Devils expires in June 2025.
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