Ten Hag claims Man Utd ignored pledge to keep McTominay from Napoli sale
Erik ten Hag has accused Manchester United’s board of breaking a transfer-window agreement by approving Scott McTominay’s sale to Napoli, despite the former manager making clear that the midfielder was not to be sold.
Ten Hag said the agreement was reached during a meeting in Ibiza, where he believed the club had committed to pursuing a recruitment plan jointly with him. McTominay nevertheless left in the summer of 2024, with Manuel Ugarte brought in as the midfield replacement.
McTominay sale left Ten Hag disappointed
The Dutch coach said McTominay’s goals and mentality made him an important part of his plans. The United academy product scored 10 goals in all competitions in his last full season at Old Trafford, with only Rasmus Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes scoring more for the club.
Ten Hag argued that United lacked players who could regularly score and felt McTominay supplied a quality that could not simply be replaced. He said the decision to sell the Scotland international left him “embarrassed and disappointed”, particularly after he had rejected the idea of an exit.
- Scott McTominay was sold to Napoli during the 2024 summer window.
- Manuel Ugarte arrived as United’s new midfield addition.
- Ten Hag and his staff considered McTominay especially valuable in close domestic matches.
- McTominay went on to become a leading Serie A midfielder as Napoli won the league title.
Contract promises also questioned
Ten Hag said the dispute over McTominay was part of wider frustration over his relationship with the United hierarchy. After the FA Cup final win over Manchester City, the club activated a one-year extension in his contract.
He said he would not accept entering a new campaign with only a year remaining on his deal, prompting talks over an additional season and the direction of the first-team project. Ten Hag said he was promised loyalty, backing, communication and a united approach to key decisions, but believes those assurances were not fulfilled.
What happens next
There is no new transfer decision or club response included in the update. Ten Hag’s comments put renewed focus on United’s recruitment process during his spell in charge, while McTominay’s title-winning impact at Napoli has intensified scrutiny of the decision to let him leave.
