Scott McTominay was flawed at Manchester United - but what he did at Carrington was priceless
Scott McTominay's time at Man United looks to be coming to an end as he is set to join Napoli before deadline day.
Steven is a senior writer and covers Manchester United for the Manchester Evening News. You can follow Steven on Twitter at @StevenRailston.
Manchester United are selling Scott McTominay to Napoli for £25million.
McTominay has been at the club since the age of five but the sale of the academy graduate to Napoli after a summer of interest from Fulham makes sense.
Selling academy players represents total profit in the financial books and so McTominay's departure will help United operate within PSR restrictions. The money generated from his exit is being used to sign Manuel Ugarte.
United are offloading a player who would have started the majority of the games on the bench to sign Ugarte from PSG, who could potentially transform their midfield.
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When the argument is presented like that, it was a no-brainer to sell McTominay this summer, but the decision wasn't that simple following the best season of the player's career.
"Du, du, du, du, du, Scott McTominay," was sung by United fans in the Stretford End during the opening game of the season and he received rapturous applause when he was brought on. McTominay is a boyhood United fan, he progressed through the academy and fans who regularly chanted his name last term will feel it's bittersweet to see him pack his bags for Italy.
McTominay was a flawed player but he was United through and through. He didn't pull up any trees in the academy, but he did brilliantly to break into the first team during Jose Mourinho's tenure and even better to establish himself in the dressing room after his senior bow.
It's an outstanding achievement to make a debut for United but the bigger challenge is to stay in the team. That's the toughest challenge of them all and Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford and McTominay are the most recent players to have done just that.
McTominay stands out from that list because the other three players are considered to be more 'talented'. However, there are different ways to the top and McTominay's athleticism helped him along the way, allowing him to cope with the demands of the Premier League.
The 27-year-old scored 10 goals in all competitions last season and became a matchwinner. He tended to produce when United desperately needed a goal, scoring a brace against Brentford in October's 2-1 win, twice against Chelsea in December in another 2-1 victory and netting the winner against Aston Villa in February.
McTominay's late runs into the box suddenly became his trademark as he reinvented himself as a goalscorer and United will miss his ability to impact games when times are tough.
They will also miss his leadership qualities and understanding of the club. Different sources who have been present at Carrington over the last few years have all praised McTominay's character and how he acts around the training ground, members of staff and young players.
When results have been difficult and characters have been tested, McTominay has stood up to the scrutiny and taken responsibility in interviews when other players declined to do so.
There have been some brilliant moments during McTominay's time at the club, like his performance against PSG in the Champions League in 2019, his goal against Manchester City in the last game at Old Trafford before the pandemic and, of course, his brace against Brentford last season.
Everyone knows McTominay's limitations and that's ultimately why he's being sold, but his commitment on the pitch could never be questioned and his recent reinvention as an attacking midfielder perhaps should have happened sooner during his career at Old Trafford.
McTominay doesn't have the skill set to play in a defensive midfield role for United and was pigeonholed as that player due to his double-pivot partnership with Fred.
The McFred years won't be remembered fondly by supporters, but Fred left last summer with the best wishes of fans and McTominay will receive exactly the same.
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