Kris Boyd has praised Scott McTominay amid his impressive start at Napoli and questioned Manchester United's decision to sell the Scottish midfielder. The Red Devils academy graduate joined the Serie A giants in a reported £25 million deal.
McTominay has made a fine start to life at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, linking up well with former United striker Romelu Lukaku. He's appeared six times, posting one goal and one assist for Antonio Conte's side.
Boyd feels McTominay had been misprofiled before moving to Naples and suggests the club might be missing him. The former Rangers striker told Sky Sports:
"I watched the game on Sunday night (Napoli 2-0 Monza), and he was excellent; he's a real handful, and his timing of runs into the box and his game intelligence have improved so much. I think a lot of people looked at him as this big boy who gets around the pitch. Dare I say it, maybe he's something Manchester United are missing. "
McTominay was Erik ten Hag's savior on several occasions last season, a super sup who came on late on in games and netted vital winners. He bagged last-gasp strikes in victories over Brentford (2-1) and Aston Villa (3-2).
Boyd alluded to this:
"We've seen it last season in terms of coming on and getting on the scoresheet. Against Brentford he came on and two goals at the end of the game to turn it around. Just that enthusiasm, that know-how to get a game won and go on and press. Everybody watched that game on Sunday (United's 3-0 home loss to Tottenham) there's a lack of urgency, pace and aggression and that's a few things McTominay's got in abundance."Kris Boyd (Sky Sports)
"Dare I say it, Scott McTominay might be something that United are missing now" 👀
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 2, 2024
Kris Boyd on McTominay's successful start to life at Napoli and how the Red Devils might be missing his presence 💬🔴 pic.twitter.com/ABK9jA9NWj
Scott McTominay's Manchester United departure under the microscope
McTominay spent seven years with Manchester United's senior team before departing to Napoli. Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ten Hag all relied on the 52-cap Scotland international during their reigns at Old Trafford.
The Scotsman registered 29 goals and eight assists in 255 games during his time with the club. His place in the team was sometimes was scrutinised with some fans arguing that a more agile player who is better in possession was required. Many were critical of his partnership with Fred, known as McFred, which lasted many years.
However, United desperately needed to overhaul their midfield this past summer and chased Manuel Ugarte throughout the transfer window. The Uruguayan holding midfielder's capture came amid McTominay's exit. The jury is out on the former Paris Saint-Germain man following his £42.3 million arrival on deadline day.
"He's a very important player" - Ten Hag hinted he wanted to keep McTominay
Ten Hag put his faith in McTominay and always spoke highly of the midfielder, which was the case earlier on in the summer before his departure. The Dutch coach made clear the club wanted to keep hold of him (via Fabrizio Romano):
"If you score 10 goals in a season and perform very well for Scotland there will be interest. We want to actually keep him because he's a very important player for us. We've seen what he can contribute last season."Erik ten Hag
Red Devil Armada Verdict
McTominay spent years trying to win over a section of the Manchester United fanbase with his somewhat unattractive playing style leading to moans and groans. He was a useful asset for Ten Hag, especially last season in his super-sub role. The Reds definitely needed to make changes to their midfield but perhaps will miss his passion and grit at Old Trafford.
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