Manchester United sold Scott McTominay to Napoli in 2024 and the Scotland international has gone from strength to strength - while his former club have struggled
Former Manchester United star Nemanja Matic slammed their decision to sell Scott McTominay - and ex-boss Erik ten Hag was on his side. McTominay was sold by United in August 2024 after they accepted a bid from Napoli worth €30million (£25.4m).
The midfielder, 28, made an instant impact in Italy, helping Napoli clinch the Serie A title and winning the league's Player of the Year award. Given a more advanced role by Antonio Conte, McTominay has scored 17 goals in 50 appearances for Napoli and continues to show the Red Devils what they're missing.
It's not only at club level where the United academy graduate has impressed either. McTominay is a talismanic presence for Scotland, as demonstrated by his marvellous bicycle kick to give them the lead in Tuesday's winner-takes-all World Cup qualifier against Denmark on Tuesday night.
The dramatic 4-2 win at Hampden Park raised yet more questions as to why United sold him. If it were up to Matic, who played alongside McTominay for five years, he'd still be at Old Trafford.
"My opinion is that #manutd made a mistake by selling Scott McTominay, today it is difficult to replace a player like him," the Serbian posted on X when the transfer was completed. "Conte is smart man."
Soon after Matic's claim, Ten Hag admitted that he didn't want McTominay to leave. The Red Devils manager, who was sacked two months after the 28-year-old's sale, pointed to the Premier League's rules on academy products.
"Selling a graduate is considered 100 per cent profit under current PSR rules and United sorely needed the cash. Unfortunately, it's the rules," Ten Hag bemoaned. "You have to discuss the rules to do sales and obviously homegrown players, academy players, bring more value.
"It's not the right thing to do but for everyone, for all parts, it's a good deal. For Scott, he is happy with it. Of course, for Napoli, a very good player but also for us."
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The Dutchman added: "I'm very happy for him and for us, but it's mixed [feelings] because I would have preferred not to lose him. He has Manchester United in his veins... He was so important for our team, he was at Manchester United for over 22 years."
McTominay felt that it was right time for a new challenge and said: "It was a mutual decision. It was a case of - there's an opportunity there, do you want to go?
"Obviously I know from their side FFP is difficult. It's not easy for clubs to make a decision in regards to homegrown players, but that was never in my thought process. My thought process was coming here, seeing the fans, the coach and hopefully doing really good things."
He added: "On my last day, I had to go and see everyone and it was not easy to say goodbye. But that's football. That's the life. I spoke to him [Ten Hag]. He expressed his thoughts on the situation. I said, 'Listen it's my career, I am here to push myself on'.
"In this situation, I have to look out for number one and go with my gut feeling of what I want to do in my career and not be held back by any other external factors.
"It was amicable. I love that football club to bits, they have been my life for 22 years, but I have moved on now. I am thoroughly enjoying myself here."