Rio Ferdinand Criticises Man Utd for £25m Transfer Decision

Rio Ferdinand has voiced his displeasure at his former club, Manchester United, following their decision to sanction the departure of Scott McTominay. The Scotland international is on the verge of a £25 million move to Serie A outfit Napoli.

Antonio Conte is at the helm of the Italian club and is keen to bring McTominay to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium. He’s been at Manchester United for over 20 years, as the 27-year-old came through the youth ranks at the club before becoming a regular face in the first-team squad.

While the midfielder has never been viewed as a key member of the starting 11 at Old Trafford, he’s still played a huge role at times with important goals from off the bench. McTominay’s exit will open up a space in Erik ten Hag’s squad for a new midfielder, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte heavily linked.

McTominay Exit ‘Doesn’t Sit Well’ With Ferdinand

The United icon isn’t sure the deal makes sense

Man United legend Ferdinand hasn’t been shy about giving his opinion on the imminent departure of the Red Devils midfielder. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the retired defender acknowledged that McTominay may not be a regular starter, but stated his importance all the same: “I look at Scott McTominay and like not every player can be a star standout player or a franchise player. I always say this, to win the league you need the likes of a John O’Shea, a Wes Brown, Darren Fletcher, Chicharito, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer from when we were at United.”

He went on to explain how important it is to have such players in a successful squad: “Those players are huge, you need those players and they understand the DNA especially the ones who come through the academy, Man United have always stood by that.”

Ferdinand then explained why the potential transfer doesn’t seem like a good idea. The 45-year-old continued:

McTominay to Make Way for Ugarte

It could prove to be a masterstroke

As mentioned, once McTominay’s move to Naples is complete, the Red Devils are expected to swoop for defensive midfielder Ugarte from PSG. The Uruguay international isn’t a like-for-like replacement for the departing midfielder, but he would provide cover in an area of Ten Hag’s squad that is light as things stand.

Casemiro is the only defensive-minded midfielder in the team, although the Brazilian’s performances over the past 12 months have left a lot to be desired. The energy of Ugarte could be a massive help in the engine room at times and could prove to be a more vital addition to the squad than McTominay’s ability to pop up with a goal.