'Transfer mistake, difficult to replace': Nemanja Matic slams Man United over £25.7m summer deal

Manchester United allowed Scott McTominay to leave for Napoli in a £25.7 million move on transfer deadline day.

Former United and Chelsea stalwart Nemanja Matic wrote on social media platform X that selling McTominay was a mistake and the club would find it difficult to replace him.

Matic played 189 matches for the Red Devils before moving to AS Roma in 2022 to reunite with former manager Jose Mourinho.

The Serbia international was a crucial player for United, but his peak years were undoubtedly during his time at Chelsea.

The right time to sell Scott McTominay

McTominay proved to be an invaluable asset to each of his five United managers.

He was linked with a move to West Ham United last summer, but Erik ten Hag was keen to have him in the squad.

His decision paid dividends, with the midfielder making a remarkable impact by scoring ten goals last season.

He turned out to be a super-substitute with Ten Hag turning to him whenever United were behind.

McTominay understood the significance of climbing the ranks from the academy.

His passion for playing for United shone through, and his deep affection for the fans was undeniably clear.

He would have added value if he had stayed at Old Trafford.

However, United were keen to land Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain. They needed funds to get the deal done and also to comply with financial rules.

The Scotland international has developed into a robust box-to-box midfielder but United were looking for a different profile.

They wanted a player who could win the ball back in midfield and provide security to the defence.

With only a year remaining on his contract at United, the club faced a choice – either offer McTominay a substantial new deal to keep him or let him leave for free after 12 months.

Despite a few drawbacks, the Red Devils made the right call by letting McTominay depart.