Former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay proving critics wrong | OneFootball

Scott McTominay’s (26) career trajectory has become the subject of admiration and reflection this season, following a standout campaign in Serie A with Napoli. The 26-year-old midfielder played a pivotal role in the club’s title triumph, netting twelve goals and securing the league’s Player of the Year award, a remarkable achievement that has silenced critics who once questioned his suitability for Manchester United.

Speaking to Sky Sports, former United midfielder and 1999 Champions League winner Nicky Butt, who coached McTominay at the club’s academy, praised the player’s resilience. “Scott is an amazing person. He is a really great lad,” Butt said. “He had it tough… a lot of growth problems, a lot of injuries. Back in the day, he was only small and slight. But his determination and drive, you could not ever question.”

Butt highlighted McTominay’s willingness to fight for every opportunity, noting that while he may not have been the most naturally gifted, his resolve mirrored that of other United legends like Roy Keane. “When you’ve got that kind of drive, you get yourself through the levels,” he added.

McTominay’s departure from Old Trafford has prompted soul-searching among United supporters and former coaches alike. “I felt that it was wrong to let him go because he is one of your own,” Butt remarked. “He would run through brick walls for you, a Manchester United fan from a family of Manchester United fans.”

Now a revered figure in Naples, McTominay’s image adorns walls across the city. Butt reflected on the irony of his success: “You don’t know what you have got until you’ve not got it… If he’d stayed, he might have stagnated and never got better.”

This Thursday, McTominay returns to Manchester as Napoli face Manchester City in the Champions League.

GFN | Finn Entwistle