Joleon Lescott has suggested Scott McTominay was never given the full backing of coaches during his time at Manchester United, which ultimately led to his departure. The Scotland international left Old Trafford for Napoli in the summer of 2024 in a deal worth around £26million, despite then-manager Erik ten Hag being reluctant to lose him.
McTominay, who joined United's academy at the age of five and made his debut in 2017, showed a knack for scoring goals when deployed in advanced roles. However, Lescott believes he was not afforded the same patience as others. Speaking on the In The Mixer podcast, the former Manchester City defender said: "He was scoring goals for United and he was doing that when he played in a more advanced role. It was just that he wasn't allowed to do it every week and I also don't think he was allowed to have a bad game."
Lescott added that homegrown players often face stricter scrutiny: "I think there were times where he would score, do well, stay in the team and then if he didn't do it again, he was coming out. I don't think every player has that set balance or is not given the grace of playing badly. I think that comes when you're a homegrown talent, though."
Since leaving United, McTominay has thrived in Italy, winning a Serie A title, being named Serie A MVP, and helping Scotland qualify for the 2026 World Cup. His performances have led former Liverpool captain Graeme Souness to argue that United sold their best midfielder. Souness told the Daily Mail: "They sold the best one: Scott McTominay. He was better than those two and he's just grown in his job since he's been at Napoli."
McTominay now faces AC Milan in the Supercoppa Italiana semi-final, another chance to demonstrate the quality that many believe United failed to fully harness.
