“Manchester United makes a colossal mistake by selling McTominay.”

The sale of Scott McTominay by Manchester United to Napoli in 2024 is being pointed to as one of the biggest fiascos in the recent history of the Red Devils. The Scottish midfielder, who came through the ranks at the English club, not only became a star in Serie A but was also named the most valuable player in the Italian league for the 2024/25 season, a feat that is casting a heavy shadow over the management of Manchester United.

Marco Materazzi, the legendary World Cup champion from 2006 and former defender for Inter Milan, had no hesitation in labeling McTominay’s departure as “the biggest transfer mistake of all time.” In an exclusive interview with Hajper, the Italian lavished praise on the midfielder: “I love Scott McTominay. When he emerged at Manchester United as a young player, I laughed because I told my son that, even at 18 or 19 years old, this is a player who would become one of the best in the world, and now he is one of the best.”

The Manchester United sold McTominay to Napoli for around 30 million euros, citing the need to comply with financial fair play regulations at the time. However, the rapid rise of the Scottish player in Italian football, where he was a key figure in winning the Scudetto and played pivotal moments, has revealed how underestimated he was at Old Trafford. Materazzi does not hesitate to assert that McTominay’s true value exceeds 60 to 70 million euros, describing the sale as one of the biggest failures of the transfer market.

McTominay, who made his debut for the Manchester United first team in 2017, has made 255 appearances for the Red Devils, winning an FA Cup and a League Cup. However, his revitalization at Napoli, where he has become a prolific scorer and received a nomination for the Ballon d’Or, has only intensified criticism of the English club’s sports policy, which continues to lose young talents from its academy to other teams while investing in expensive signings that fail to meet expectations.

Despite a less stellar season for Napoli, currently second in Serie A seven points behind leaders Inter, McTominay remains crucial, being the team’s second top scorer in the league with seven goals, and adding four more in the Champions League. When asked about his future, the Scottish midfielder made his commitment to the Italian club clear: “I am extremely happy here. As far as I’m concerned, I am a Napoli player. That’s what I think about. I can see myself here for a long time. I love this place… my family is happy and I am happy.”

This situation highlights Manchester United’s inability to nurture and retain its homegrown talents, while rival clubs take advantage of this to turn these players into true global stars. The sale of McTominay is a clear warning: the sporting management at Old Trafford is paying too high a price for its strategic shortsightedness.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.