It’s going to cost and Manchester United know it, yet work has started to bring Scott McTominay back to Old Trafford.
McTominay ended his long-term involvement with Manchester United in August 2024 when he joined Napoli for a cautious £25 million. This happened despite the fact that the midfielder had just had his best season ever for United, where he emerged with several crucial goals that helped save then-manager Erik ten Hag’s job.
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McTominay has since established himself as one of the best midfielders in Italy, having been named Serie A’s MVP when Napoli won the Serie A title last season.
McTominay’s dominant performances for Napoli have made a big impression on several Premier League clubs, including Manchester United…
McTominay to Man Utd latest news
Manchester United are ‘dreaming’ of being reunited with the Scotland international and are ‘leading the way’ for a potential summer deal Tuttomercatoweb.
Although McTominay is ‘happy at Napoli’, he is eager to return to United in the near future and prove to his doubters that they are wrong.
The report includes statements from Napoli boss Leonardo Giammarioli, who admitted earlier this month that he is ‘worried’ about the club losing their star midfielder.
Giammarioli said McTominay could leave if a big bid comes in this summer, and compared the situation to Nick Woltemade’s departure from Stuttgart.
Our transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, exclusively revealed on November 20 that United and Arsenal are exploring surprising moves for McTominay, with Tottenham Hotspur also showing interest.
Our sources confirm that McTominay is eager to return to England, but only for ‘the right project’.
We understand that it will take an ‘astronomical’ offer to lure the 29-year-old away from Napoli, with a minimum valuation of €80 million (£70m) set.
McTominay is certainly an exciting option on United’s shortlist as they make plans for their midfield rebuild. Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba and Adam Wharton are also all on United’s radar.
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The battle for Manchester Carrick has started
United have been very impressed with how Michael Carrick has handled his role as interim boss, but they are not alone…
TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey has revealed that Carrick is also under serious consideration for the permanent Tottenham Hotspur manager’s job.
The former midfielder, who played for both United and Tottenham, was considered by the north London club before the arrival of Thomas Frank last summer.
Carrick’s track record at United, and his quick adaptation to Premier League management, has allowed him to remain well within Spurs’ radar screen.
Spurs have agreed to make Igor Tudor their interim manager, but Carrick is in the picture to succeed him in the summer.
Any Spurs move will depend on whether United make the 44-year-old their own permanent manager. Our sources state that United ‘love his style, appearance and attitude’, although they are also analysing other options.
Double Scouting Mission
The Red Devils will send club representatives to watch Inter Milan star Federico Dimarco and Juventus’ Pierre Kalulu in the Derby d’Italia this weekend, according to Tuttosport.
United have been impressed by Kalulu’s versatility as he has operated as a centre-back, right-back and right wing-back this season.
Dimarco, on the other hand, has been in brilliant form as a left wing-back for Inter. He has delivered six goals and 13 assists in 31 appearances, impressing both United and Arsenal’s recruitment managers.
Dimarco could also be easier to sign than Kalulu due to his contract situation. Inter are aiming to tie the Italian to new terms, but his current deal expires in June 2027.
This update comes after Tuttosport reported on Wednesday that United are ‘dreaming’ of making Dimarco their new left-back.
Ratcliffe criticized
England’s rugby captain Maro Itoje has responded to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s controversial comments about immigration in the UK.
“I disagree with the terminology and attitudes of what he said,” Itoje told the BBC. “I don’t believe that Britain has been colonized by immigrants. I think it’s inaccurate and wrong to say.
“I sit before you as a man who was born in North London, a very proud Londoner, very proud to have this English identity, very proud to play for England and to be captain of England.
“It’s one of my greatest accomplishments, and no matter what I do for the rest of my life, this will be up there with one of the best things that ever happened to me.
“But I am also of Nigerian descent and I am equally proud of that heritage as well.
“I just think it was very clumsy language, and the numbers he was talking about were actually inaccurate as well.
“I’ve read that he’s apologized for his comments, and I think it’s admirable when people realize they’ve messed it up and apologize. So I commend him for doing it.”
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