Hes a big character: Harry Maguire explains why ex-United ace never fulfilled his potential at Old Trafford

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has explained where the Red Devils got it wrong with former midfielder Scott McTominay. The Scot rose through the ranks at Old Trafford and was a first-team regular until he was offloaded in the summer of 2024. McTominay broke into the senior side under Jose Mourinho, before gaining prominence under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He was also heavily involved under Erik ten Hag, before the Dutchman decided to move him on in a bid to sign a new defensive midfielder. The Red Devils used the Scottish midfielder’s departure to secure the services of Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Unfortunately for the English giants, the Uruguayan has failed to live up to expectations at Old Trafford and remains linked with an exit this summer. McTominay, meanwhile, joined Napoli and the rest, as they say, is history. McTominay unshackled after United exit McTominay’s move to Napoli turned out to be a turning point in his career. The Scot was outstanding in his debut season at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, helping them win the Serie A title. McTominay’s explosive start earned him the Serie A MVP award, a nomination for the Ballon d’Or, and most importantly, a permanent place in the hearts of the fans. McFratm now has a shrine dedicated to him at Vico San Nicola al Nilo. Last season, the 29 year old registered 14 goals and four assists in 44 games, helping the Partenopei win the Supercoppa Italiana and finish second in the Serie A. 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. McTominay has turned his career around since leaving Old Trafford, and Maguire has now explained why the player failed to realise his true potential at United. McTominay works best in an advanced role Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast after Scotland’s 1-0 defeat to Morocco, Maguire hailed McTominay’s character and leadership qualities. He said: “I really got on with Scott. He’s a great person to have around the dressing room.” “He’s a big character, a great leader. If you train with Scotty, everyone knows the ability he has. In five-a-side, he’s always up there with the top scorers.” Maguire went on to suggest that United failed to get the best out of the Scot as he was played out of position. He said: “At Man Utd, he played a bit deeper. To be a number 10 at United, you have to be the superstar, and I think Scotty is a much better player further up the pitch than he is as a number six, and he played number six at United a lot.” “You need him around the box; he’s so clinical. If Scotland were going to score, it was going to come from Scott. He has great runs, great timing, and his finishing is at a real high level. He’s a top player.” The United defender also revealed that he was always certain McTominay would be a success at Napoli, concluding: “When he went there, I knew he’d do well, and the rest of the team knew he’d do well, but it’s hard when we have Bruno there in the number 10 position, and it’s hard to move him out of the team.” Final Thoughts United legend Wayne Rooney recently said that he would love to have McTominay back at Old Trafford, but a return looks unlikely. While the Red Devils are in the market for midfield reinforcements, they are looking for a different profile at the moment. 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.