There have been numerous times this season when Manchester United would’ve undoubtedly benefitted from the heroics of Scott McTominay.
Yet, the Scot’s deadline day switch to Napoli ensured that he was Antonio Conte’s to appreciate for the foreseeable future.
There’s certainly a case to be made for McTominay being the reason Erik ten Hag has remained at the helm of United this long, too; his late brace off-the-bench to prevent a 1-0 home defeat to Brentford last season springs to mind as only one example.
In his opening five matches since swapping red for sky blue – which has been something of a bizarre sight for the Old Trafford faithful – the midfielder has notched two goals and one assist in all competitions. On Sofascore, he’s averaging a rating of 7.05 in the Serie A, with his most notable showing – rated a 7.5 – thus far being in Napoli’s 3-1 defeat over Como.
McTominay hailed as a ‘jack of all trades’ by former teammate
Former Red Federico Macheda, who played with McTominay in the Red Devils’ academy, has spoken out to heap praise on his ex-teammate, telling Radio Kiss Kiss (as cited by TuttoMercatoWeb): “I’m happy that he’s settling in well at Napoli and he’s doing it quickly. Changing league is not easy, and the approach he had proves his will and ability to take on new challenges.
“He’s a jack of all trades as a footballer. He’s good at making offensive runs and helping the team off the ball. He’s a real worker, and I’d define him as a fantastic signing.”
“I was surprised that Manchester United decided to sell him,” Macheda continued. “He always did well there despite their recent complicated seasons. Without any doubt, leaving and going to Napoli was the right choice.”
However, it must be said that the 27-year-old did indeed leave on his own accord, as Dan Ashworth confirmed shortly after the transfer was finalised.
That’s not to say he couldn’t have been swayed had he been given assurances by the club over his playing time, though. He’d have been well aware that United’s summer-long pursuit of Manuel Ugarte meant that his game time was likely to be reduced even further, given that he’d be vying with the Uruguayan, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Kobbie Mainoo for a starting spot, the latter of which has essentially cemented his place onto the team sheet.
