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Manchester United may have bought six new players over the summer but manager Erik ten Hag wanted more and their start to the new Premier League season has shown that the manager should have been backed more.
Out of the six, two are loan signings with the club’s official stance that players needed to be sold in order for the club to buy more in a bid to avoid FFP complications.
United struggled massively on that front and their inability to move on the likes of Harry Maguire, Scott McTominay, Anthony Martial and Donny van de Beek resulted in the club not strengthening in defence and failing to bring in a powerhouse striker.
United need to sell to buy
The situation at the club is currently quite dire, both in terms of results and injury issues while several off-field problems are threatening to derail the season as early as September.
If Jadon Sancho and Antony’s issues don’t clear up or if United still end up conceding goals at an alarming rate or if the frontline keeps misfiring, Ten Hag would ideally like to solve that mess in January.
But for that to happen, United need money and that can come through the sale of McTominay who is an academy graduate, and thus his sale would represent a far more promising outcome FFP-wise.
Football Insider have claimed just that and it makes sense considering the Scot’s diminished status in the first-team squad, with the midfielder making his first start of the season against Brighton.
“Man United could sanction the sale of Scott McTominay in January to raise funds for new arrivals, sources have told Football Insider.
“Man United will need to be financially savvy to bring in any reinforcements in January following a summer window of big spending.
Mctominay for sale in January
“A well-placed source has told Football Insider that the potential sale of McTominay would generate “big funds” despite his second-string status at Old Trafford.”
Despite the obvious midfield issues, Ten Hag has so far resisted the urge to play McTominay more and against the Seagulls, he was asked to play in an unorthodox right midfield role and he failed to turn up.
Despite Ten Hag probably not seeing the Scottish international as part of his plans moving forward, he has admirers from across the Premier League and even abroad.
United reportedly value him at £45 million with Newcastle United, West Ham United, Fulham, and even Bayern Munich eyeing a move with Turkish clubs also sniffing about.
