Wayne Rooney has expressed his desire to see Scott McTominay return to Manchester United, admitting he was shocked the club allowed the midfielder to leave. The 29-year-old academy graduate made 255 appearances for the Red Devils between 2017 and 2024 before being sold to Napoli for just over £25 million two years ago. The move proved highly successful, with McTominay winning the Serie A title in his debut season and establishing himself as a key player for both club and country.
Rooney's Surprise at McTominay's Departure
Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, the former England forward said, 'I couldn't believe Man United let him go when they did because he obviously works extremely hard. At the time they let him go, he was actually one of the players who you wanted on the pitch every week because you felt like players weren't working or weren't giving the best and he was impactful. He was playing in a more advanced role and he was scoring important goals. When Man United let him go, I was thinking, wow, what's going on here? But you'd love to have him back at Man United now.'
McTominay's Rise to Elite Performer
Since leaving Manchester United, McTominay has transformed from a bit-part player into an elite performer. He has continued to impress as a goal-scoring midfielder for Napoli and Scotland, helping the latter qualify for their first World Cup in 28 years. His performances have drawn praise from teammates and pundits alike.
Manchester United's Midfield Plans
Manchester United have already agreed a deal for Atalanta midfielder Ederson this summer and intend to make another signing in that area. While names like Mateus Fernandes (West Ham), Alex Scott (Bournemouth), and Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace) have been linked, McTominay has not been widely touted as a potential re-signing. Instead, he is focused on Scotland's World Cup campaign, which begins against Haiti in the early hours of Sunday morning UK time.
McTominay's Fitness for World Cup Opener
McTominay has been suffering from a stomach complaint, missing training on Thursday, but is expected to be fit for the opener. Scotland teammate Kenny McLean said, 'Hopefully that doesn't spread. I am sure everybody has fingers crossed that Scott will be fine. Everybody knows what Scott brings. It is quite apparent how big a player he is for us. For all that it has been a team effort [to qualify], and always will be a real team effort, we have special players at the core. He is up on a mural for a reason. He is a true talent, a special player, an amazing guy and an amazing part of the team. He is a big character around the place, but it is a team effort and I'm sure Scott would be the first to say that. He is desperate to play and his preparations have been amazing apart from maybe something he has eaten somewhere along the line.'
