Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has criticised the decision to sell Scott McTominay, and believes it will probably cost big money to bring in the kind of replacement that would be required.
The Red Devils look set to sell McTominay to Napoli in the final days of the summer transfer window, but Ferdinand has made it clear that he thinks it would be the wrong decision, and that squad players like that are essential in a title-winning squad.
The Scotland international might not be someone who’s always been an automatic starter for Man Utd under a variety of managers now, but Ferdinand, speaking on his YouTube channel, compared the 27-year-old to players like Darren Fletcher, Wes Brown and John O’Shea from his time at Old Trafford.
The former United defender was almost always a star player in those Sir Alex Ferguson sides, but he will know the value of having those reliable, hard-working players who are content to sit on the bench for a decent chunk of the season as well.
McTominay could be that kind of player for United, but he now looks close to moving on, and Ferdinand believes it’s going to be expensive finding someone similar to do that job.
McTominay transfer decision slammed by Man Utd legend Ferdinand
“I look at Scott McTominay and not every player can be a star, a standout player,” Ferdinand said.
“But to win the league you need the likes of John O’Shea, Wes Brown, Darren Fletcher…”
He added: “It really doesn’t sit well with me. To replace him you’re going to have to spend £30m or £40m and give him £150,000 a week probably.
“It’s not going to be cheap and it’s a gamble, you don’t know what you’re going to get, whereas with McTominay you know what you’re getting.
“He might not always be a 9/10 but invariably he’s a solid 7/10 and sometimes he will be an 8/10 and get you a goal.”
Fully agree with Rio Ferdinand; selling Scott McTominay is a very bad move for Manchester United.
A player who will give 100% for the team, putting his life on the line, not complaining if he sits on the bench, and not paid similar to other “stars” of the team who are under performing.
However, bringing in a homegrown box to box midfielder like Jacob Ramsey, Conor Gallagher, Adam Wharton or Eberechi Eze may make up for the sale, although this late in the transfer window it seems unlikely.
McTominay’s a decent enough football player, but he’s no Wes Brown or Darren Fletcher – those two, and O’Shea to a lesser extent, were far more reliable and less likely to make the kind of everyday SNAFU that stops McT short of being a very good squad player of the stature Utd need. Can he get goals? yes. Can he do it consistently and play at a good level? No. I like his commitment, but he hasn’t got a good enough footballing brain at the level Utd want to be at.
Rio’s wrong, and blind to the obvious as usual.