Scott McTominay Reflects on Manchester United Exit and Prioritizing His Career

Scott McTominay, who assisted Napoli’s opening goal in their 3-1 victory over Udinese on Saturday, acknowledged the difficulty of departing Manchester United this summer, stating he needed to “look out for number one”. The 27-year-old player transferred to Napoli in August and has since distinguished himself, contributing to his new team’s current second-place standing in Serie A. Speaking to BBC Scotland, the Scotland midfielder remarked, “It was a big decision, but in some ways it was quite straightforward,” adding, “I saw the passionate fans, I saw the coach, I saw the players and I saw an opportunity.” He continued, “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. As soon as I put my mind to something I want to do it, that’s it. There’s no holding me back.” McTominay has accumulated four goals and two assists across 15 appearances for Antonio Conte’s squad, establishing himself as a strong favourite among the fanbase. His move to Napoli occurred at the same time as his international midfield teammate, Billy Gilmour. “I love this place,” McTominay further stated. “I love the fans, I love my team-mates. It has been a pleasure to be with Billy every day rather than just seeing him at Scotland and we have helped each other a lot.” The choice by Manchester United to permit McTominay’s departure surprised some football pundits and former players associated with Old Trafford. Erik Ten Hag, the manager at the time, had expressed his wish to retain the midfielder; however, Financial Fair Play regulations were a factor, as the transfer of homegrown players is classified as pure profit. McTominay, who had been with United since 2002, commented, “It was a mutual decision,” explaining, “It was a case of – there’s an opportunity there, do you want to go? “Obviously I know from their side FFP is difficult. It’s not easy for clubs to make a decision in regards to homegrown players, but that was never in my thought process.” He added, “My thought process was coming here, seeing the fans, the coach and hopefully doing really good things.” His tenure with United, which began at the age of five, culminated in an emotional departure. “On my last day, I had to go and see everyone and it was not easy to say goodbye,” he recounted. “But that’s football. That’s the life.” “I spoke to him [Ten Hag]. He expressed his thoughts on the situation. I said, ‘listen it’s my career, I am here to push myself on’. “In this situation, I have to look out for number one and go with my gut feeling of what I want to do in my career and not be held back by any other external factors.” He concluded, “It was amicable. I love that football club to bits, they have been my life for 22 years, but I have moved on now. I am thoroughly enjoying myself here.”