Rio Ferdinand SLAMS Man United for agreeing to sell ‘huge player’ Scott McTominay as he claims the Scot’s £26m transfer to Napoli ‘doesn’t sit well’

Rio Ferdinand has stressed that Scott McTominay‘s imminent departure from Manchester United for Napoli ‘doesn’t sit well’ with him as the Scot prepares to say farewell to Old Trafford.

McTominay is on the verge of leaving his boyhood club after United agreed a £26m fee for the midfielder as they look to bring in PSG‘s Manuel Ugarte.

The 27-year-old has spent his entire club career to date at Old Trafford, having first become involved with the United youth system aged just five and is part of their ‘homegrown’ pool of players.

Mail Sport understands that Napoli will pay a transfer fee in the region of £26million for McTominay, who has featured as a substitute in all of United’s games so far this season – most recently in the 2-1 weekend defeat against Brighton.

United legend Ferdinand starred during a hugely successful 12-year career at the serial Premier League champions and explained his displeasure at McTominay being sold.

McTominay came off the bench in United’s 2-1 weekend defeat against Brighton

Ferdinand is not convinced selling McTominay this summer is a good move for United

Having been handed his first-team debut during Jose Mourinho‘s managerial reign at United, McTominay has gone on to become a trusted midfield asset under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag.

However, despite being more often used as a substitute, Ferdinand believes the Scotland international is the type of squad member United need to win the Premier League. 

Speaking on his Rio Presents show, Ferdinand stated: ‘I look at Scott McTominay and like not every player can be a star standout player or a franchise player. 

‘I always say this, to win the league you need the likes of a John O’Shea, a Wes Brown, Darren Fletcher, Chicharito, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer from when we were at United. 

McTominay is on the verge of leaving his boyhood club after United agreed a £26m fee for the midfielder

‘Or you need the likes of Alvarez when he was at City who can come in, like last season Jeremy Doku was coming in and impacting games even though not necessarily always starting all the games.

‘Those players are huge, you need those players and they understand the DNA especially the ones who come through the academy, Man United have always stood by that. It really doesn’t sit well with me, to replace him you are going to have to spend, 30,40,£50m pounds and it’s not going to be cheap to replace him. 

‘It’s a gamble, you don’t what you’re going to get with that next player, whereas with him you know what you’re getting, it’s on the tin, he turns up when he’s playing, might not always be an eight or nine out of ten but he is a good seven and every know and then he will be an eight and get you a goal,’ he added.

Selling McTominay should see United free up space and funds to support their pursuit of Ugarte who is desperate to leave France for Old Trafford.