Manchester United selling Scott McTominay has been labeled 'one of the greatest blunders in soccer history' by a past Manchester United manager.
It may sound a little exaggerated, but McTominay has definitely moved forward successfully, whereas Manchester United have faced difficulties ever since he left.
A product of the youth system, the central midfielder first appeared for Manchester United in May 2017. Since then, he has gone on to feature in 255 matches for the team, netting 29 times.
Last August marked a major shift in his career when he departed from the sole club he had represented up until then, after United transferred him to Napoli for £25.7m.
Although never assured of starting regularly, McTominay featured in 43 matches for the Red Devils during his final season at Old Trafford, netting 10 times. However, Manchester United concluded that he wasn’t essential going forward and saw an opportunity to generate financial benefit under UEFA’s Profit & Sustainability Rules due to him being a youth-developed player.
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Looking back, however, it appears to have been a questionable choice, as the Scottish international has performed exceptionally well in Italy after departing from the Premier League.
He netted 12 times across 34 Serie A appearances as Napoli clinched the championship during Antonio Conte's tenure. McTominay received the Serie A MVP award and secured a spot in the league's Team of the Season.
Without him, Manchester United endured a dismal campaign, ending the season in 15th place in the Premier League and leaving empty-handed without any trophies.
Not many would argue that simply having McTominay available would have entirely changed the outcome of that season, yet McCarthy views transferring the midfielder as an undeniably catastrophic move.
Nonetheless, the ex-South African forward, who managed the Red Devils between 2022 and 2024, believes that newly signed player Matheus Cunha can add an element to the team which went missing after McTominay departed.
The previous South Africa marksman, having been at the helm of the Reds during his two-year tenure from 2022 until 2024, feels confident that fresh recruit Matheus Cunha has what it takes to restore qualities within the group that were absent since McTominay’s exit.
Still, the erstwhile attacker for South Africa—who guided the fortunes of the Red Devils over the past couple seasons—thinks that recent acquisition Matheus Cunha could reintroduce into the lineup those traits they've missed ever since McTominay moved on.
Although he served as coach only briefly—from 2022 through early '24—the seasoned campaigner once known internationally under South Africa colors remains convinced about one thing: incoming talent Matheus Cunha possesses potential key contributions akin perhaps even mirroring strengths previously embodied but now notably gone with departure of stalwart midfielder McTominay.
“Naturally, there are various reasons for selling local-developed players at times,” said the 47-year-old. betonlinepromocodes.com When they leave, the profits allow you to bring in additional players.
That being said, allowing him to leave was one of the greatest blunders in football history. He was destined to play for United.
Perhaps he wasn't the most technically skilled, but he had grit, and I believe that's something they'll regain with Matheus Cunha.
Scotty was exactly the kind of person you'd want in your team—someone who could help drive success from within the locker room. Letting him leave for such a modest sum was truly disappointing. Honestly, I believe those involved with the club wish they had handled things differently.
Cunha is sure to inject plenty of enthusiasm, having spoken passionately about his deep connection to Manchester United upon finalising his transfer from Wolves earlier this summer.
“This is a dream realized,” Cunha said to Manchester United club media. Perhaps from the outside, people might not fully grasp why I made this choice. However, when playing here has been your dream all along, making that decision becomes much simpler.
For me, nothing compares to United. Naturally, I'm aware of how tough this past season has been for all involved. My choice reflects just how much this club means to me and why I still strongly believe in what we can achieve together.
Here’s Matheus Cunha's Premier League career record as of 2024:
- **Club**: Wolverhampton Wanderers
- **Position**: Forward / Attacking Midfielder
- **Nationality**: Brazilian
### Key Stats:
**Goals & Assists:**
- Total Goals Scored: *X*
- Goal Involvements (goals + assists): *Y*
**Appearances:**
- Matches Played for Wolves in PL: *Z*
*(Note: Please provide specific numbers you'd like included—such as goals scored, appearances made—to get more detailed stats)*
If you're looking for an updated breakdown including minutes per goal ratio, assist trends, shot maps, or performance against top-six clubs, I can help compile those details too! Let me know how deep into his data you’d like to go.
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Need this tailored further? For example – comparisons with fellow strikers at Wolves' history, form guide vs your fantasy football needs 😊 Just ask away~
Appearances: 82
Goals: 29
Assists: 13
Yellow cards: 14
Red cards: 0
He continued, "For me, it's difficult to put into words what this club means."
My home didn't get the channel for watching the Premier League. Neither did my cousin's place—he's older than I am and a Manchester United fan. It was him who introduced me to following the league and supporting United.
It's only at my grandmother's place where we're able to catch the Premier League matches, which is why we make plans to head over every Saturday.
And for me, it had always been somewhat ingrained within me—the spirit of this club. Whenever I played football with my friends out in the streets, at the beach, or even on rough fields made from stones, we used to call those places 'Old Trafford.' Just think about that!
It's really tough being here right now, reflecting on everything from back then—it brings up a lot of emotions.
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