Manchester United could reap significant financial benefits from a shrewd clause agreed as part of Scott McTominay’s move to Napoli. The Scottish midfielder, who has been with United since he was a child, joins the Italian giants in 2024 for a fee of £25.7m, ending his 20-year association with the Red Devils.
The decision to let McTominay go raised some eyebrows among the United faithful, given the club’s rich history of developing academy talent. However, the deal could be quite lucrative thanks to the offer clause included in the contract. Under the terms of the deal, United are entitled to 10 per cent of any future sale of McTominay by Napoli. This could lead to a big fee as the 29-year-old continues to establish himself as one of Europe’s top midfielders, with outstanding performances for both club and country and attracting the attention of several other top clubs across the continent.
In his debut season in Italy, McTominay was named Player of the Year after an exceptional season in which he played a key role in Antonio Conte’s side winning the Serie A title. The Napoli number eight scored 13 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions and was nominated for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award, which was eventually won by Ousmane Dembele.
McTominay has also distinguished himself on the international stage in Scotland, having been awarded the right to play for Scotland through his father. In November, he scored an incredible overhead kick to help Scotland beat Denmark 4-2, helping the Tartans qualify for their first World Cup since 1998.
Transfermarkt currently values McTominay, who has two-and-a-half years left on his contract with Napoli, at around £40m. The Italian team currently sits in third place in Serie A, trailing leaders Inter by just two points. If he were to sell at this price, United would receive an additional £4m in profit due to the sell-on clause.
However, Napoli are reportedly willing to match an offer of around £60m, and this figure could rise further. There are even rumors of a surprise return to Old Trafford. Some reports suggest United are considering bringing McTominay back as manager Ruben Amorim looks to shore up his thin midfield options.
The long-term futures of Coby Mainu, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte remain up in the air, but injuries to Mainu and captain Fernandes leave United short in midfield.
This shortage led Amorim to play 18-year-old academy player Jack Fletcher for 45 minutes against Newcastle United on Boxing Day, as well as centre-back Lisandro Martinez in midfield against Aston Villa. Other potential targets are reported to include Crystal Palace key man Adam Wharton, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and former United player James Garner, now at Everton.
