Wayne Rooney says Scott McTominay would be a valuable addition again at Manchester United, and remains confused by the choice to sell the midfielder. McTominay has since become a key figure at Napoli, and Rooney believes the performances in Italy underline why United should have kept the player.
Rooney explained that McTominay offered attributes United lacked at the time of the transfer. The former United captain feels the Scotland international brought work rate, discipline and goals from midfield, and that Manchester United have struggled to replace those qualities since agreeing the move to Serie A in 2024.
"I couldn't believe Man United let him go when they did because he obviously works extremely hard," Rooney said on The Wayne Rooney Show.
And at the time they let him go, he was actually one of the players who you wanted on the pitch every week because you felt like players werent working or werent giving the best and he was impactful. He was playing in a more advanced role and he was scoring important goals. When Man United let him go, I was thinking, 'wow, what's going on here?' But you'd love to have him back at Man United now.
McTominay came through Manchester United's academy and reached the senior side during the 2017-18 season. After several campaigns in the first team, United agreed a reported 30.5m (26.3m) transfer to Napoli in 2024. The deal ended a long spell at Old Trafford for the Scotland midfielder, who is now 29.
Once in Naples, McTominay quickly became central to Napoli's success. The midfielder earned the Serie A MVP award in his debut season, while helping Napoli secure the Scudetto. The Italian club then finished second in the 2025-26 league campaign and also lifted the Supercoppa Italiana during that season.
Across all competitions for Napoli, McTominay has scored 27 goals and provided seven assists in 80 appearances. That output makes McTominay one of the club's main attacking contributors from midfield. Since the transfer, only Christian Pulisic with 41 and Hakan Calhanoglu with 38 have more direct goal contributions among Serie A midfielders than McTominay's 34.
Rooney's comments highlight the contrast between Manchester United's decision and McTominay's impact in Italy. While Napoli benefit from consistent performances and crucial goals, United are left without a homegrown midfielder who proved able to influence major matches, and Rooney remains clear that a return to Old Trafford would be welcomed.
