RATCLIFFE NOW OPEN TO SELLING £40M MAN UTD PLAYER WHO'S OUTSCORED RASHFORD
Manchester United have not enjoyed a successful season so far as they have struggled domestically and in Europe under Erik ten Hag's leadership.
The Red Devils were dumped out of their Champions League group - finishing bottom - and they are currently seventh in the Premier League table, with six games left to play.
They do, however, have a chance to reach the FA Cup final as they face Coventry City at Wembley in the semi-finals on Sunday, and could end the campaign with a piece of silverware.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, though, reportedly already has one eye on his plans for the upcoming summer transfer window, as United look set to make changes to their playing squad.
Man Utd open to selling academy graduate
According to TEAMtalk, the Red Devils are open to cashing in on several players ahead of the 2024/25 campaign in order to free up space for new signings to come through the door.
The report claims that Ratcliffe has earmarked academy graduate Scott McTominay as one of those who could be sold to raise funds for fresh additions. It states that the fact any money they make from him would be counted as 'pure profit', due to being a former youth team player, makes him a sellable asset.
TEAMtalk also claims that United's hierarchy, and by extension Ratcliffe, do not see McTominay as being a good enough footballer to carry the club into the new era that they want to enter.
The outlet adds that there is strong interest from unnamed clubs in the Premier League and the Bundesliga, with recent links to Everton, but does state that West Ham United would not be willing to meet the £40m valuation of the Scotland international. However, the report does say that McTominay could put a stop to a potential exit as the central midfielder is keen to remain at Old Trafford as it stands.
Why Man Utd should sell Scott McTominay
The towering Scottish gem has provided a goal threat from the middle of the park for United this season in the Premier League, but his all-round midfield play has left a lot to be desired.
McTominay has scored nine goals in all competitions for the club this season, which is more than attackers Marcus Rashford (eight), Antony (two), and Anthony Martial (two) have managed.
Seven of those goals have come in the English top flight, with only Bruno Fernandes (eight) ahead of him, and this illustrates the goalscoring quality he can provide.
| Scott McTominay vs Premier League midfielders | |
|---|---|
| 23/24 season (per 90) | Percentile rank |
| Passes attempted (30.78) | Bottom 9% |
| Pass accuracy (80.2%) | Bottom 43% |
| Progressive passes (3.08) | Bottom 16% |
| Shot-creating actions (1.20) | Bottom 7% |
| Successful take-ons (0.46) | Bottom 26% |
However, as you can see in the table above, the 27-year-old midfielder is significantly below average among his positional peers in several key in-possession metrics in the Premier League this season.
Whilst he offers a threat as a goalscorer, his general play in the middle of the park has been underwhelming and Ratcliffe may not see him as a key part of a team that could want to dominate the ball and be progressive moving forward, which is why he wants to cash in on the Scotsman.
2024-04-17T22:56:10Z dg43tfdfdgfd