Manchester United have been hit with another uncomfortable revelation after former manager Erik ten Hag claimed that the club’s hierarchy broke a promise they made to him over the sale of Scott McTominay in 2024.
According to Ten Hag, McTominay was a player he desperately wanted to keep at Old Trafford, and he believed the club’s decision-makers had agreed with him before the summer transfer window opened. However, things allegedly took a very different turn, leaving the Dutchman feeling embarrassed, disappointed, and let down by the people above him.
Ten Hag explained that he had made his position crystal clear during a meeting in Ibiza. He did not want McTominay sold, especially because he believed the Scottish midfielder offered something Manchester United badly needed: goals, fighting spirit, and a deep connection to the club.
His message was simple. Scott McTominay was not a player United could afford to lose easily. A PROMISE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING?
The timing makes this revelation even more explosive. Ten Hag’s comments relate to discussions in Ibiza after Manchester United’s FA Cup triumph over Manchester City in 2024. The victory helped him keep his job, and he says the club promised him loyalty, backing, communication, and a shared plan for the future.
But according to the former manager, those assurances did not match what happened when transfer decisions were made. The McTominay sale became a major example of the gap between what he believed had been agreed and what the club ultimately did.
McTominay was sold to Napoli for approximately £25.7 million in August 2024. United were also working to strengthen their midfield, eventually bringing in Manuel Ugarte, but Ten Hag believed losing the Scottish international weakened the team’s attacking options.
The Independent
McTominay Was More Than Just Another Midfielder!
Think about Ten Hag’s argument. McTominay had scored 10 goals for Manchester United in the 2023/24 season, despite not always being a regular starter. He could arrive late in the box, win physical battles, make dangerous runs, and deliver goals when the team needed them most.
He was also an academy graduate who understood what representing Manchester United meant. For Ten Hag, that combination of goals, mentality, versatility, and loyalty made him a valuable member of the squad.
The manager’s concern was simple: why sell a player who contributes goals when the team already struggles to score consistently?
Sky Sports
Napoli Got the Last Laugh!
What happened next made the decision even harder for United supporters to forget.
McTominay settled into life in Italy and became a key figure for Napoli under Antonio Conte. He helped the club win the Serie A title in his first season and earned widespread praise for his performances. His success turned the transfer into an even bigger talking point among fans who questioned why United let him go.
Meanwhile, Manchester United had to continue searching for the right balance in midfield. The question remains: did the club make the right financial decision at the expense of an important sporting asset?
The Independent
Was Ten Hag Right to Be Angry?
This is where the controversy gets serious. A manager cannot build a successful team if he believes the club’s leadership will agree to one plan and then make major decisions without following it.
Ten Hag’s criticism goes beyond McTominay himself. He says the club promised to work together, communicate properly, and align their transfer decisions. From his perspective, selling the midfielder went against that understanding.
Of course, Manchester United also faced financial pressures, and selling an academy graduate helped the club’s financial calculations. But that does not erase the footballing question: should a club sacrifice a useful first-team player simply because his sale makes financial sense?
That is the debate United supporters are still having.
The Big Question for Manchester United Fans!
Ten Hag has now made his feelings clear: he wanted Scott McTominay to stay, believed he had an agreement with the hierarchy, and felt embarrassed and disappointed when the midfielder was sold anyway.
McTominay has since shown what he can offer at Napoli, making this a decision that will continue to attract attention whenever United’s transfer strategy comes under scrutiny.
What do you think, Manchester United fans?
Was the club right to sell McTominay for financial reasons, or did the hierarchy make a huge mistake by ignoring Ten Hag’s wishes?
