Man Utd slap enormous price on Scott McTominay outmatched only by Ronaldo and Lukaku
Manchester United are expected to place a hefty price tag on Scott McTominay ahead of the summer transfer window, with Newcastle among the clubs monitoring his situation. If the Red Devils get their way, only Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku will have left Old Trafford with higher transfer fees.
McTominay has been on United’s roster for more than two decades, but with Marcel Sabitzer, Fred, Christian Eriksen, and Casemiro already competing for minutes in midfield, manager Erik ten Hag may feel that he has sufficient depth.
McTominay, who was a regular in previous seasons, has been limited to 10 Premier League appearances this year. And despite the fact that goals are not the Scot’s primary selling point, his goal against Everton on Saturday is his only goal contribution so far this season.
Still, the Newcastle Magpies are rumored to be considering a move for McTominay, who would swap one top-four-chasing team for another if he moved to St. James’ Park.
The Daily Star reports that Newcastle will have to pay a whopping £50 million to complete the deal, which would be one of United’s largest-ever sales. McTominay is rumored to be interested in securing regular football elsewhere, so it remains to be seen whether such a high asking price proves to be a roadblock.
United have only ever sold two players for more than £50 million, with Ronaldo’s £80 million transfer to Real Madrid in 2009 setting a new world record. Ten years later, Inter Milan’s £73 million acquisition of Lukaku also provided the Glazers with a substantial infusion of cash.
McTominay still has two years remaining on his contract at Old Trafford, with an option for an additional year. This is one reason why United can demand such a high price.
After losing the Carabao Cup final to Ten Hag’s squad earlier this season, Newcastle would naturally like to exact revenge on United by snatching McTominay on the cheap, but it appears unlikely that this will occur. The 26-year-old has scored 19 goals in over 200 senior appearances for the Red Devils.
Both teams are in contention to qualify for next season’s Champions League, with a tense race for the top four set to unfold over the next few weeks. Eddie Howe, the head coach of Newcastle, has urged his players to embrace the situation rather than shy away from the stakes.
“Let’s try to enjoy it and relish every moment and embrace the challenge rather than in any way fear where we are,” he told reporters. “We are where we are on merit at the moment and we want more.”
“When you’re in this position, the pressure is just as intense, but in a slightly different way. Expectations rise and you try to keep up with that demand when you’re winning games.”
Man Utd slap enormous price on Scott McTominay outmatched only by Ronaldo and Lukaku
