Scott McTominay (Out) - Newcastle, West Ham, Everton, Southampton, Leicester interested

Loony BoB said:
Completely agree with Buzz on this one, this sounds like a bad strategy.
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With the other strategy Jones has just started his 12th season as United player. Playing 13 games in the last 4.

Bailly his 7th season, etc.

As it stands we have Casemiro, Fred, Garner, DVB, Eriksen for two spots (assuming Bruno is AM). And we might get another CM until deadline day.

Ship off McT and if you want to have numbers get another midfielder on the cheap that fits the new playing style - you know someone who can keep the ball under pressure, advance with it, pass it, makes himself available for a pass, etc.
 
city-puma said:
This thread bombs shit out of the certain portion of the fanbase. Selling McT?! Stupid isn’t enough to describe them.
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Perhaps we shouldn't be actively selling him but we'd be stupid to not listen to offers as he's really not all that good nor is he that important.

Makes even more sense if we get another midfielder as we're reported to be looking for another one.
 
All of those teams are interested? Christ and I thought our scouts were bad
 
Should keep him. Yes, he has limitations but him and Fred seem to have become scapegoats for an underperforming side.
 
Enigma_87 said:
Ship off McT and if you want to have numbers get another midfielder on the cheap that fits the new playing style - you know someone who can keep the ball under pressure, advance with it, pass it, makes himself available for a pass, etc.
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Personal opinion: You don't make 15 changes to your squad in one season, you get some in, see how they gel, then work on the next lot the following window. I think we need to get in another player before we sell McT, we do it with a targeted player in mind who is both better than McT and is completely happy to play second fiddle to Casemiro and our other expected midfield signing. If we sell McT we should be buying in someone who will carry out that backup role and not moan, and will commit themselves to the club. This is why players like O'Shea, Fletcher and yes, McT, are great: They will play their heart out even if they don't play every game. They are content to be second XI, not on high wages, but will still do their best.

On a completely different note, there's also the Homegrown rules.

2021/22:
Jones
Maguire
Pogba (gone)
Rashford
Grant (gone)
Lingard (gone)
Heaton
Shaw
Henderson (gone)
Wan-Bissaka
McTominay

With Jones, Maguire, Rashford, Heaton, Shaw, Wan-Bissaka, McTominay - that's seven out of eight of our homegrown requirements. Now, Sancho I believe has graduated, so that would make our eight. None of our current four players we have bought are home-grown. Technically Kovar would no longer count as an U-21 player but I'm not sure we'll want to use him in our 25 man squad.

So, if we sell McT, we'll be one short on our 25 man squad due to home grown players. So we'll want to bring in someone who qualifies to replace him. So, I suppose the question is - can we find a player that:
1) is home grown talent
2) is happy to play backup to our new midfield players, likely behind Fred too
3) is happy to do this for low wages
4) is better than McTominay
5) is low cost enough to justify the expense for a 3rd/4th choice in their position

and I'm not so sure that would be such an easy find. I just don't think it's the right time to get rid of McT, personally. I'd absolutely get rid of the non-homegrown deadwood first. People seem to think we can have 25 first team players from outside our team, since they are also clamouring for the sales of Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Jones, Rashford and in some cases people even think we should get rid of Shaw and Heaton (although that's not as regularly called for, thankfully). Seems we just hate homegrown players these days. :p

Shockingly, Greenwood still qualifies as an U-21 player so the club don't have to look completely stupid for still paying his wages despite not even putting him into our 25 man squad.
 
Ali Dia said:
He’s the worst regular starting midfielder in my lifetime of watching us. Can break fast up the pitch and has a good shot on him but he has none of the playmaker or even destroying capabilities of a proper midfielder. His lack of a short game really puts us under needless pressure
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Andreas was worse.
 
DevilRed said:
Oh we're definitely keeping him. We only have 3 central midfielders as it stands. Unless you count Eriksen.

We need 4 at the minimum for the rotation and crazy schedule thanks to the WC this year.
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Garner mctominy Fred cesimeiro vdb eriksen Bruno probably about the right numbers if we let one go we should replace one
 
sun_tzu said:
Garner mctominy Fred cesimeiro vdb eriksen Bruno probably about the right numbers if we let one go we should replace one
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Forgot about Garner in my last post, he'll count in too. But honestly, I think McT has looked far better than Garner has in pre-season. Garner looked little better than Chong.
 
SuperiorXI said:
If he goes, who is backup to Casemiro?
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McT is not a DM, despite someone trying to shoehorn him there. Or should I say he's not good DM as he lacks a lot of qualities to pull a proper job on consistent (even backup) basis.

Loony BoB said:
Personal opinion: You don't make 15 changes to your squad in one season, you get some in, see how they gel, then work on the next lot the following window. I think we need to get in another player before we sell McT, we do it with a targeted player in mind who is both better than McT and is completely happy to play second fiddle to Casemiro and our other expected midfield signing. If we sell McT we should be buying in someone who will carry out that backup role and not moan, and will commit themselves to the club. This is why players like O'Shea, Fletcher and yes, McT, are great: They will play their heart out even if they don't play every game. They are content to be second XI, not on high wages, but will still do their best.

On a completely different note, there's also the Homegrown rules.

2021/22:
Jones
Maguire
Pogba (gone)
Rashford
Grant (gone)
Lingard (gone)
Heaton
Shaw
Henderson (gone)
Wan-Bissaka
McTominay

With Jones, Maguire, Rashford, Heaton, Shaw, Wan-Bissaka, McTominay - that's seven out of eight of our homegrown requirements. Now, Sancho I believe has graduated, so that would make our eight. None of our current four players we have bought are home-grown. Technically Kovar would no longer count as an U-21 player but I'm not sure we'll want to use him in our 25 man squad.

So, if we sell McT, we'll be one short on our 25 man squad due to home grown players. So we'll want to bring in someone who qualifies to replace him. So, I suppose the question is - can we find a player that:
1) is home grown talent
2) is happy to play backup to our new midfield players, likely behind Fred too
3) is happy to do this for low wages
4) is better than McTominay
5) is low cost enough to justify the expense for a 3rd/4th choice in their position

and I'm not so sure that would be such an easy find. I just don't think it's the right time to get rid of McT, personally. I'd absolutely get rid of the non-homegrown deadwood first. People seem to think we can have 25 first team players from outside our team, since they are also clamouring for the sales of Wan-Bissaka, Maguire, Jones, Rashford and in some cases people even think we should get rid of Shaw and Heaton (although that's not as regularly called for, thankfully). Seems we just hate homegrown players these days. :p

Shockingly, Greenwood still qualifies as an U-21 player so the club don't have to look completely stupid for still paying his wages despite not even putting him into our 25 man squad.
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HG rule is a good call, but it doesn't mean we should fill it with McT spot. We can promote Garnacho for example as backup winger and bring in not HG midfielder as a backup.

Besides 2 of the ones that are gone are reserve keepers so there's another spot that could be filled with another HG keeper.
 
He's not a DM nor is he a good DM, I agree on that - although I'd still say he's still the person most suited to the role after Casemiro and Fred, and Fred is currently slated to start alongside Casemiro unless we bring in someone else. Garner isn't better than McT based on what I've seen of him in pre-season. Looks like a fish out of water at United's level.

Garnacho doesn't have to be in the 25, thankfully, as he's U-21.

Current foreign players not including Bailly (13): DDG, Lindelof, Ronaldo, Martial, Fred, Fernandes, Varane, Dalot, VDB, Malacia, Martinez, Eriksen, Casemiro
Current homegrown players (7): Shaw, Maguire, Rashford, Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, Sancho, Heaton

Making up 20, with 5 spots left, of which only four can be foreign. Supposedly we are targeting a RW, ST, CM, RB, GK. That's five spots in the squad. If we sold McT, I think we would have to backfill him.

If we happened to get all five signings (insanely unlikely) we would have no places left for: Jones, Williams, Garner, Chong, Tuanzabe, all of which are thankfully home grown. So any of the remaining five slots we don't buy for will likely be filled by one/some of these five.

Despite all of that, I still think McT is the best option we have at present and that we won't be able to get anyone better that is willing to play backup and sit on the bench and not cause a stink and at lower wages, too. I just don't think it's very likely to happen. Unless you do think Garner is a better player than McT, in which case I guess it's him. I just don't see it - not yet. Give it another year, see if Garner pulls his weight, but so far he's not shown the goods at this level and I don't think we'll get anyone else in that will do the job McT is likely to end up doing this season.
 
Casemiro, Fred, Garner, Eriksen, Bruno, van de Beek, one of Savage/Iqbal for league cups/weaker europa.

I don't think mctominay is a bad guy or bad squad option but 6-7 players for 3 spots is fine, if you account for martinez as an emergency DM option. Still think we need a top partner for Casemiro but it isnt mctominay, so if we get a good offer I'd take it
 
SER19 said:
Casemiro, Fred, Garner, Eriksen, Bruno, van de Beek, one of Savage/Iqbal for league cups/weaker europa.
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By position:

10: Bruno, Eriksen, VDB
8: Fred, ???
6: Casemiro, ???

I don't think Iqbal/Savage are that ready - not yet. Garner is not as good as McT, as much as I wish he were, after having watched him in pre-season... as much as I hope he proves me wrong in the long run. I think Iqbal will improve faster than Garner will, from what I've seen, but it's a small pool of games I've seen him in. I definitely do want to see Iqbal and Savage playing Carling Cup games etc. though to see if they can step up, and as you said, weaker Europa. But we still need McT to back up Fred & Casemiro as things stand. Hell, I think we could use another player in the mix, too, but hopefully something will happen this window.
 
OrcaFat said:
I could actually see him developing into a goal scoring no8 in the same general category as Lampard. If that is his future he really hasn’t been used right here.

I used to see him as a player with so much potential but he’s had plenty of games now and I don’t think he is quite United quality. Possibly he can find a niche somewhere and have a decent career going forward.
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Like every midfielder at United I don’t think he’s been used or coached properly. The blend of midfield is so important and we haven’t had the personnel to do things properly.
 
fps said:
Like every midfielder at United I don’t think he’s been used or coached properly. The blend of midfield is so important and we haven’t had the personnel to do things properly.
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Very true.
 
georgipep said:
And if there's no club willing to buy them, we should keep them in the squad, not playing, their value eroding even more, right?
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No...if five Premier League teams want McTominay you make it be publicly known you'll sell (but only sell) to the highest bidder and then see if you can start a bidding war to drive the price up.

We're generally terrible at selling players. There have been far worse players than McTominay sold for £20m+ already this Summer, it shouldn't be the most difficult task in the World
 
Lentwood said:
No...if five Premier League teams want McTominay you make it be publicly known you'll sell (but only sell) to the highest bidder and then see if you can start a bidding war to drive the price up.

We're generally terrible at selling players. There have been far worse players than McTominay sold for £20m+ already this Summer, it shouldn't be the most difficult task in the World
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And if no club wants to buy but all just want to loan him? Then what?
 
We need the MF depth. Would be mad to sell a MF right now. We are ridiculously thin. Hes a perfect squad player...
 
Calling it now, Newcastle, £40 million, which would be kind of sweet given the Longstaff stuff, and about time we took advantage of one of these dirty money clubs.
 
city-puma said:
This thread bombs shit out of the certain portion of the fanbase. Selling McT?! Stupid isn’t enough to describe them.
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Rubbish, he'll never be good enough, and will also never be worth as much as he is now again, it would actually be a smart move by us for a change.
 
pogbasformerbarber said:
We need the MF depth. Would be mad to sell a MF right now. We are ridiculously thin. Hes a perfect squad player...
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Why do people keep saying this? What does he do that makes him so perfect for the squad role? He hides, missplaces passes, doesnt know what to do when he receives the ball and his second touch is atleast a yellow card. How does that make him a perfect squad player? Not any of those traits will help the team when squad rotation is needed. Look at rotation options for clubs that are the clubs Manchester United is supposed to compete against, he wont make the bench there so shouldnt at Manchester United either.

Making up numbers for a 11v11 in training can also be done by young talented players. Something McT isnt. Sell him and get someone younger and much more talented in.
 
I said before that I don’t think he’s United quality.

I also said I could see him developing into a goal-scoring no8. By that I meant getting into the box, also bursting forward from the middle of the pitch (as opposed to from the no6 position). One day he could be a player.

I don’t see him doing it here. That said, playing with Casemiro could do wonders for him.
 
"We never sell players for value like other clubs and always hold on to players too long"

Tries to sell Mctominay

"No we need to keep Mctominay even though he isn't good enough and is *almost 26 and can literally go from having the ball in acres of space to almost getting a red because we need 'depth' and blah blah"
 
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FerociousCorgis said:
"We never sell players for value like other clubs and always hold on to players too long"

Tries to sell Mctominay

"No we need to keep Mctominay even though he isn't good enough and is already 26 and can literally go from having the ball in acres of space to almost getting a red because we need 'depth' and blah blah"
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He's 25.
 
If we get a reasonable price, I'd sell him, use the money to partially cover the cost of a class midfielder, and start letting Savage have a go as backup. He's a useful player, but if we can fund an even better midfield by selling him, we obviously should.
 
hobbers said:
Current homegrown players: Shaw, Maguire, Rashford, Wan-Bissaka, McTominay, Sancho, Heaton, Jones

Shocking list isn't it. Sancho and Heaton as back up the only ones worthy of their place in the squad.


Thankfully regardless of how useless this lot are we can still get rid of one or two. There's room for 4 more players to come in who are non-homegrown and over 21.
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Some of those guys can still come good, I’m thinking Shaw and Rashford.

AWB isn’t half as bad as people say. Pretty sure we won more games with him than without him since he came here.

McT has been poor but I’m actually interested to see him play with Casemiro.

Jones was also much better than the press he gets. Injured too much to really get set.

I’m not sure “shocking” is quite right. There is a lack of clear top quality though, can’t deny that.
 
I'd be happy to see him go but only if we have another midfielder (in addition to Casemiro) lined up. We literally don't have enough bodies in midfield.
 
Would he make a good Right Back?. Has good stamina to get up and down.

Better then Dalot ability wise.


If not would sell get 15-20 mill. Leicester are crying out for players/transfers, sure Rogers would have him in his team.
 
Xaviboy said:
Would he make a good Right Back?. Has good stamina to get up and down.

Better then Dalot ability wise.


If not would sell get 15-20 mill. Leicester are crying out for players/transfers, sure Rogers would have him in his team.
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RB? What an intriguing idea. Would be fun to see him tried there. Probably he’d be shit as he’s no good at showing for the ball and flaky under pressure. The full backs are out-ball options for CBs and keeper and I could see McT being pressed off the ball for fun.
 
Judas said:
Andreas was worse.
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Was Andreas ever a starting central midfielder for us? Obviously there was the odd game here and there when we had a bunch of injuries (and he was normally terrible), but the only time I remember him being a starter was in the first half of 19/20 when he generally played #10 or right wing. And I'd say he was better there than Scott is as a central midfielder.
 
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