“Didn’t think United would let him go”: Club director delighted with incredible 28-yo signing

Scott McTominay joined Manchester United as a five year old, before enjoying an impressive rise up the ranks at the Theatre of Dreams. The Scottish midfielder earned his first-team bow in 2017, under former manager Jose Mourinho, before becoming a regular following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s arrival. Despite retaining his importance under Erik ten Hag, the Red Devils opted to offload McTominay in the summer of 2024, with Napoli securing his signature in a reported £25.7 million deal. The 28 year old has enjoyed a spectacular turn in fortunes following his move to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. The darling of Napoli fans Scott McTominay scored 13 goals and set up six more in 39 appearances in his debut season, helping the Partenopei win the Serie A title. He was also adjudged the Serie A MVP of the Season, and included in the Serie A team of the season. Scott McTominay Stats: 2024/25 Season CompetitionAppearancesGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Serie A341263–2.941′ Premier League2––––17′ Italy Cup21–––31′ Community Shield1––––32′ Total 24/25391363–3.021′ Source: Transfermarkt.The Scot’s efforts also saw him included in this year’s Ballon d’Or shortlist for the first time, with the player finishing 18th in the final rankings. Such has been McTominay’s impact that a shrine has been built for him in the narrow Vico San Nicola a Nilo street in Naples, which contains a mural of the player along with his nickname, McFratm. United, meanwhile, continue to struggle and the midfield remains an area of concern. Recent reports suggest that the Red Devils are planning to invest heavily in midfield in 2026, with the likes of Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson on Ruben Amorim’s wish list. McTominay’s stellar form in Serie A has raised questions about the Premier League giants’ decision to let him go. Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna recently provided an insight on the Scot’s move to Naples. McTominay wanted Napoli move McTominay was awarded the Serie A Player of the Year on Monday, and speaking to Sky Italia at the occasion, as cited by Alfredo Pedula, Manna said: “We talked about it at the beginning of June last year.” “The transfer market is long and complicated. We didn’t think United would let him go, but at a certain point they needed to do so, and we were ready.” Manna added that negotiations accelerated once United decided to let the player leave. “It was a quick and simple negotiation. The boy immediately showed his desire to be part of the project and was decisive, as he then demonstrated on the pitch,” said Manna. McTominay has registered five goals and two assists in 17 appearances across competitions for the reigning champions this season. A recent report relayed by The Peoples Person states that United are planning to bring him back. Final Thoughts A recent poll carried out by The Peoples Person revealed that the majority of United fans want McTominay back at the Theatre of Dreams. Given the player’s stellar rise since leaving the Premier League giants, he could be a fine addition to Amorim’s squad. However, the Scot is enjoying his life in Naples, far away from the constant scrutiny at Old Trafford, so he may not be too keen to head back just yet. Scott McTominay has tonight been named Serie A Player of the Year for 2024/25 at the Galà del Calcio awards, Italy’s equivalent of the PFA awards in the UK. The Scotsman joins an illustrious list of previous winners of this award including Zinedine Zidane, Kaka, Andrea Pirlo and… pic.twitter.com/pgW9vF8fYL — SCOTBALL 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 (@scotball_) December 1, 2025 Feature image Francesco Pecoraro 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.