Pundit Graeme Souness has hit out at Manchester United’s “atrocious” transfer mistake with club chiefs accused of “industrial scale mismanagement”.
The Red Devils offloaded academy product McTominay during last year’s summer transfer window as he joined Serie A giants Napoli for around £25m.
The Scotland international was heavily linked with exits in several transfer windows before he departed Man Utd, but he was one of their better performers in a dire 2023/24 campaign.
Despite this, INEOS opted to sanction his exit after identifying him as an unwanted asset as they looked to raise funds for signing.
This decision has somewhat backfired as McTominay has been in great form for Napoli this season, grabbing seven goals and four in 28 appearances.
Now, Souness has hit out at Man Utd for offloading McTominay, as they “must regret” this sale.
“Oh, how Manchester United must regret selling Scott McTominay, whose penalty gave Scotland a win in Greece on Thursday night,” Souness wrote in his column for The Daily Mail.
“He’s a fantastic modern footballer. A high-energy, box-to-box workaholic who chips in with important goals.
“He was 27 years old and not hurting United with his wages when the club’s ‘decision-makers’ thought it was a bright idea to sell him to Napoli for £25m.
“They’d gone out and spent £58m on an ageing, 30-year-old Casemiro, and paid him £370,000 a week. And another £42m on Manuel Ugarte. Collective transfer fees of £100m.
“Would someone at United please hold their hand up and say: ‘This was my shout.’ Because it’s been an atrocious piece of judgment.
“The perfect example of the mismanagement on an industrial scale at that club since Fergie packed in.”
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Last week, pundit Pat Nevin’s sentiment was similar to Souness’, accusing Man Utd of making a “monster mistake”.
“I think Scott McTominay was worth £50 million before he left Manchester United. It was a monster mistake by United,” Nevin said.
“If you asked any Scottish people when he left for £25million, everybody went, you what?
“After what he’d been doing for Scotland after that period he’d had in the team for Manchester United when he suddenly was moved a lot farther forward and showed what he’s good at in his best position.
“But apart from anything else from United, he was showing the spirit every single time we walked on that pitch that that club needs, that that club doesn’t have to be anywhere near the level they want.
“You’ve got Casemiro and Christian Eriksen, fabulous players in their time, but their time’s coming up and you’re getting rid of McTominay? That’s just finance. That’s nothing else.”
