Ten Hag Says Manchester United Broke McTominay Transfer Pact

Manchester United's decision to sell Scott McTominay to Napoli in the summer of 2024 became a major point of contention between former manager Erik ten Hag and the club's leadership. In an interview published by The Athletic and reported by the Manchester Evening News, Ten Hag said the board disregarded an agreement made in Ibiza to keep the midfielder as part of his tactical plans.

Ten Hag said the proposed transfer strategy was supposed to be coordinated between the manager and the club's decision-makers. However, Manchester United proceeded with McTominay's departure and brought in Manuel Ugarte as his replacement, leaving the Dutchman feeling that his authority had been undermined.

Describing the agreement reached during the meeting in Ibiza, Ten Hag said the club had committed to retaining the Scotland international.

"In Ibiza, we agreed. I said, 'No selling Scott McTominay'. We would go aligned in the transfer window," Ten Hag said, as reported by the Manchester Evening News.

Ten Hag's opposition to the sale centered on McTominay's ability to score goals from midfield and his contribution to the team's mentality. According to the source report, the academy graduate scored 10 goals across all competitions in his final full campaign at Old Trafford, finishing behind only Rasmus Hojlund and Bruno Fernandes in Manchester United's scoring charts.

The former Ajax manager argued that replacing McTominay meant losing a player who offered an important attacking contribution beyond his midfield responsibilities.

"I make an argument, a reason: we don't have scoring abilities. Scott brings scoring abilities and great mentality. He has United in all his veins.

So when they bring up the subject, 'No'. And in the end, they sold him. I got, of course, very embarrassed and disappointed," Ten Hag said.

McTominay subsequently established himself as a prominent midfielder at Napoli, where his performances contributed to the Italian club's league title campaign. His progress in Italy renewed scrutiny of Manchester United's decision to sell a player Ten Hag considered important to his plans.

The disagreement over recruitment was part of a wider dispute concerning Ten Hag's relationship with the club's leadership. The manager also described concerns about his contract following Manchester United's FA Cup final victory over Manchester City, after which the club activated a one-year extension to his existing deal.

Ten Hag said he wanted greater security before committing to another season and believed the club had promised to support him and maintain direct communication over sporting decisions.

"I wouldn't go on with only one year left," Ten Hag said. "So I said, 'I need an extra year, and we have to do it together'. They promised me loyalty, they promised me backing, they promised communication, that we get aligned.

We spoke about the issues. But the promises, they didn't keep. That's why I got disappointed."