Wayne RooneyPlayer·Wayne Rooney has urged Manchester UnitedTeam·Manchester United to think again about Scott McTominayPlayer·Scott McTominay, saying he would “love” to see the Scotland midfielder back at Old Trafford after being left stunned by the club’s decision to sell him in 2024.
Rooney’s comments, made on The Wayne RooneyPlayer·Wayne Rooney Show, place fresh attention on a transfer that has become a symbol of United’s uneven recruitment in the post-Ferguson era. McTominay, 29, came through the club’s academy, made 255 appearances between 2017 and 2024, and scored 29 goals before Napoli signed him for just over £25 million.
The move to Italy has worked strongly for McTominay. He won Serie ACompetition·Serie A in his first season under Antonio Conte and has continued to score at a sharp rate, with 27 goals in 80 games for Napoli in total. Rooney pointed to that form as evidence that United let go of a player who was still delivering in decisive moments.
“I couldn't believe Man United let him go when they did because he obviously works extremely hard,”— Wayne Rooney.
“And at the time they let him go, he was actually one of the players who you wanted on the pitch every week because you felt like players weren't working or weren't giving the best and he was impactful.”— Wayne Rooney.
“He was playing in a more advanced role and he was scoring important goals.”— Wayne Rooney.
“When Man United let him go, I was thinking, 'wow, what's going on here?' But you'd love to have him back at Man United now.”— Wayne Rooney.
The debate around McTominay comes as United continue to reshape their midfield this summer. According to the source material, the club have already moved toward a revamp, with Atalanta’s EdersonPlayer·Ederson expected to arrive after CasemiroPlayer·Casemiro’s exit. They are also exploring other midfield options, including Mateus FernandesPlayer·Mateus Fernandes of West Ham UnitedTeam·West Ham United, Alex ScottPlayer·Alex Scott of Bournemouth and Adam WhartonPlayer·Adam Wharton of Crystal PalaceTeam·Crystal Palace, while a McTominay reunion is not considered realistic.
McTominay’s rise in Italy has only sharpened the scrutiny on United’s decision to sell him. At Old Trafford, he was often viewed as a useful squad player; in Naples, he has become a goalscoring midfielder with greater influence and a larger attacking role. That contrast is central to Rooney’s point and to the wider argument about whether United have too often moved on from players before fully understanding their value.
For McTominay, attention now shifts to international duty. Scotland begin their World CupCompetition·World Cup campaign against HaitiTeam·Haiti in the early hours of Sunday morning UK time, and the midfielder is expected to be available despite a stomach complaint that kept him out of training on Thursday. Kenny McLeanPlayer·Kenny McLean said Scotland are hopeful McTominay will be fit, describing him as a major presence in the squad.
Scott McTominay (left) and Wayne Rooney in action during an FA Cup match. Credit: PA Images/IMAGO
PA Images/IMAGOThis article was generated by AI (sonar-pro). Learn more.
