‘Special’ ex-United star ‘didn’t look back’ when leaving boyhood club, he has ‘no regrets’

Among Manchester United’s lengthy list of departees in the summer transfer window, one player’s exit certainly tugged on the heartstrings more than most.

That’s because Scott McTominay, a Carrington graduate, bid farewell to his boyhood club after a remarkable 22-year association with United when he signed for Napoli on deadline day.

The fact that his move came so late in the summer meant that the Old Trafford faithful were unable to properly say goodbye to their longstanding servant, who was on the back of his best season as a Red by scoring ten goals in all competitions – in the end being crowned an FA Cup champion with his teammates at Wembley.

At the time, Erik ten Hag was reluctant to part ways with his trusty Scot, and reports had suggested that United only accepted Napoli’s bid in order to give themselves more room for manoeuvre with the Profit and Sustainability Regulations.

However, ex-Sporting Director Dan Ashworth did speak out to dispel such speculation a few months into the season, instead confirming that McTominay had decided it was time to ply his trade outside of M16. Then, when the Italian giants came knocking, it was a prospect he couldn’t refuse.

Napoli was what I wanted, claims summer departee McTominay

McTominay – hailed as a ‘special’ talent by ex-boss Jose Mourinho – has enjoyed a scintillating start to his career in Naples. He has already cemented his place in Antonio Conte’s side while also coming in clutch yet again with his goal contributions, having scored four and assisted a further three in 15 appearances thus far.

After making his debut in a 4-0 away win over Caligari in mid-September, the 27-year-old has been given the nod in each of the 12 Serie A fixtures that followed. The 2022/2023 Scudetto winners now sit only two points behind league leaders Atalanta and are well in the mix to get their hands on the trophy again come May next year.

Three months on from his United exit, McTominay has reflected on his decision to leave – and why he knows it was the right one.

“It was a big decision, but it was quite straightforward. I saw the passionate [Napoli] fans, I saw the coach, I saw the players, and I saw an opportunity there for myself to push my career further,” he told BBC Sport.

“I took it. I didn’t look back. It didn’t take me long to make the decision because I knew that was what I wanted, and I’ll never have any regrets in my life. It was a mutual decision for all of us.”

“It was a case of, ‘there’s an opportunity there, do you want to go?’ Obviously, I know from their side that FFP is difficult. It’s not easy for football clubs to make a decision in regards to homegrown players, but for me, that was never in my thought process.”

“I love that football club to bits. They’ve been my life for 22 years, but I’ve moved on now, and I thoroughly enjoy myself here. My new teammates, the staff. As you say, I’ve been very grateful to inherit such a great group of people.”