Wayne Rooney explains why he would love” to see United bring midfield superstar back to Old Trafford

Manchester United are in the market for midfield reinforcements this summer and club legend Wayne Rooney believes they could benefit from the return of former academy graduate Scott McTominay. The Scottish midfielder currently plays in Serie A with Napoli and is preparing to feature for his national side at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. McTominay moved to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in the summer of 2024 after being deemed surplus to requirements under former United manager Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman replaced the Scotsman with Manuel Ugarte, who has failed to live up to expectations at Old Trafford and remains linked with a move away this summer. McTominay, meanwhile, has enjoyed a new lease of life since joining the Partenopei. The 29 year old lifted the Serie A title in his debut campaign, winning the league’s Player of the Season Award and endearing himself to fans. Scott McTominay Stats: 25/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Serie A33311031-2,793′ UEFA Champions League8841–699′ Supercoppa Italiana22–1-180′ Italy Cup10—-29′ Total44411442-3,701′ Source: Transfermarkt. Last season, McTominay helped Napoli finish second in the Serie A table and also won the Supercoppa Italiana. He has been linked with a blockbuster return to the Theatre of Dreams, and Rooney believes it would be a fantastic move for his former club. Rooney would love McTominay’s United return Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, Rooney said that he was surprised when United allowed McTominay to leave in 2024. He said: “I couldn’t believe Man United let him go when he did because he obviously works extremely hard.” “And at the time they let him go, he was actually one of the players who you wanted on the pitch every week because you felt like players weren’t working or weren’t given the best.” “And he was impactful. He was playing in a more advanced role from the field and he was scoring important goals. And when Man United let him go, I was thinking, wow, what’s going on here? But you’d love to have him back at Man United now.” McTominay registered 29 goals and eight assists in 255 games across all competitions for United. Meanwhile, he has recorded 27 goals and 10 assists in just 80 appearances for Napoli to date, further confirming his impressive rise in Serie A. United eyeing younger midfielders this summer United are planning to revamp their midfield this summer as they prepare for life after Casemiro. The Brazilian has already played his last game for the Red Devils and his contract expires at the end of the month. The Red Devils are looking for a suitable replacement for the veteran midfielder, and recent reports suggest that they have already secured the services of Atalanta’s Ederson. Meanwhile, West Ham United midfielder Mateus Fernandes is reportedly on INEOS’ agenda as well, and a move could materialise before the start of the new campaign. The English giants are looking to add more steel and tenacity to their midfield, but a move for McTominay may not materialise this year. The player will turn 30 before the end of the year and does not match the profile of players recently targeted by United. Final Thoughts United appear to have moved on from McTominay, while the player also seems to be enjoying life in Italy. So despite Rooney’s wishes, a fairytale reunion at the Theatre of Dreams appears unlikely any time soon. Featured image Timothy Rogers via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.