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Football Insider

Manchester United's Scott McTominay Dilemma: Should They Bring Him Back?

Manchester United are reportedly keen on bringing Scott McTominay back to Old Trafford, having accepted that they made a mistake when letting him move to Napoli. The 28-year-old midfielder has excelled in Italy, winning the Serie A title and attracting interest from top clubs. With a potential transfer fee of £44m, United face competition from the likes of Barcelona, Newcastle, and Tottenham.

Manchester United's Scott McTominay Dilemma: Should They Bring Him Back?

Manchester United are reportedly keen on returning Scott McTominay to Old Trafford, having accepted that they made a mistake when sanctioning a move to Napoli for the Scotland international midfielder in 2024. A £26 million ($34m) deal took McTominay to Italy, where he has become a Serie A title winner, and it would cost around £44m ($58m) to bring him back.After taking in 255 appearances for the Red Devils, McTominay jumped at the chance to spread his wings and leave British football. Having rarely been a guaranteed starter at Old Trafford, the 28-year-old has become a fan favourite in Naples.He captured the Italian top-flight crown last season, posting a career-best return of 13 goals across all competitions and landing MVP honours. There have been suggestions that he, alongside girlfriend Cam Reading, may be feeling a little unsettled during his second year with Napoli.La Liga giants Barcelona have been credited with interest, while Newcastle and Tottenham would reportedly welcome the opportunity to bring McTominay back to the Premier League. If that path were to be trodden, then United could also come into the mix.According to Caught Offside: “There is concrete interest in Scott McTominay. Manchester United would have him back, and keep an eye on Newcastle and Tottenham. Barcelona also view him as someone who could be a good fit for their midfield.”Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!Many with ties to United have questioned why the Red Devils allowed McTominay to move on, given his versatility and home-grown status. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is among those to have been left baffled by a sale that made little sense.The 1999 Treble winner handed McTominay 115 appearances during his reign as United manager and has told the Stick to Football podcast of why he would never have given the green light to a departure: “I was almost shocked because you need or want a core of the local lads, ones who get the club. Scott did.“For me, I think he’s shown in Italy how good of a player he is. His character, personality around the place, he sets the standards and he’d survive when we played 100 per cent. He was voted Serie A Player of the Year last year and won the league with Napoli so he’s one of them that you only know when you’ve got him, how good he is and how important he can be.“In my squad, Scotty probably wasn’t allowed to play in his best position enough, yeah [because of] Bruno [Fernandes] and maybe the lack of physicality that we had. You saw a couple of games against Leeds, we said: ‘Scott, this is a man-to-man game, we want you running through as a third man,’ and he scored, two or three, I can’t remember how many goals he scored against Leeds. That’s probably a reason because we think of him as… he’s one of the eights. Great physicality.”While Solskjaer remains a big fan of McTominay, ex-United captain Roy Keane is not convinced that the Red Devils need to go back over old ground. He said: “I’m always wary when lads leave, for a club like Napoli now but it’s a different challenge to Man United and he’s done well.“Good luck to the lad but I still wasn’t hanging my hat on him every week going, ‘He will be the lad that will bring Man United back.’ When you’re classing him as a squad player and someone says, ‘Here’s £30m,' it’s not a bad deal.”McTominay has added a further four goals to his Napoli tally this season through 14 outings across Serie A and Champions League competition. He has been joined at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona by former United colleague Rasmus Hojlund and ex-Manchester City rival Kevin De Bruyne.He is tied to a contract through to 2028, with there no suggestion that his current employers are open to offers. In the present, McTominay forms part of the Scotland squad that are hoping to secure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup through their upcoming clashes with Greece and Denmark.

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The Tale of Scott McTominay's Journey

After making 255 appearances for Manchester United, Scott McTominay made a surprising move to Napoli in 2024. His time in Italy has been fruitful, with a Serie A title win, 13 goals across all competitions, and MVP honors. Despite his success, rumors suggest he may be feeling unsettled in Naples.

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Interest from Multiple Clubs

Manchester United, Newcastle, Tottenham, and Barcelona are all reportedly interested in Scott McTominay. The Red Devils are eager to have him back at Old Trafford, while other clubs see him as a valuable addition to their squads. With competition heating up, McTominay's future remains uncertain.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Regret

Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer expressed regret over the decision to let McTominay leave. He praised the midfielder's character, versatility, and importance to the squad. Solskjaer believes McTominay was not utilized in his best position at United, leading to his departure.

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Roy Keane's Perspective

On the other hand, ex-United captain Roy Keane is less convinced about the need to bring McTominay back. While acknowledging his success at Napoli, Keane questions whether McTominay is the player who can lead United to success. The debate over McTominay's role at United continues.

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The Current Situation

Scott McTominay is currently focused on international duty with Scotland as they aim to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup. With a contract at Napoli until 2028, his future remains uncertain as transfer rumors swirl around him. The decision on his next move will be crucial for both McTominay and the clubs interested in his services.

Published on November 13, 2025