Scott McTominay was flawed at Manchester United - but what he did at Carrington was priceless
Manchester United are selling Scott McTominay to Napoli for £25million.
McTominay has been at the club since the age of five but the sale of the academy graduate to Napoli after a summer of interest from Fulham makes sense.
Selling academy players represents total profit in the financial books and so McTominay's departure will help United operate within PSR restrictions. The money generated from his exit is being used to sign Manuel Ugarte.
United are offloading a player who would have started the majority of the games on the bench to sign Ugarte from PSG, who could potentially transform their midfield.
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When the argument is presented like that, it was a no-brainer to sell McTominay this summer, but the decision wasn't that simple following the best season of the player's career.
"Du, du, du, du, du, Scott McTominay," was sung by United fans in the Stretford End during the opening game of the season and he received rapturous applause when he was brought on. McTominay is a boyhood United fan, he progressed through the academy and fans who regularly chanted his name last term will feel it's bittersweet to see him pack his bags for Italy.
McTominay was a flawed player but he was United through and through. He didn't pull up any trees in the academy, but he did brilliantly to break into the first team during Jose Mourinho's tenure and even better to establish himself in the dressing room after his senior bow.
It's an outstanding achievement to make a debut for United but the bigger challenge is to stay in the team. That's the toughest challenge of them all and Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho,