Soccer

Manchester United agree £25m fee to sell Scott McTominay to Napoli

Matt O’Riley set to join Brighton from Celtic, Rodgers confirms

Scott McTominay of Manchester United. Photograph: Peter Powell/EPA
Scott McTominay of Manchester United. Photograph: Peter Powell/EPA
Jamie Jackson
Sun Aug 25 2024 - 18:29

Manchester United have agreed a £25 million (€29 million) deal in principle to sell Scott McTominay to Napoli, with the transfer subject to the midfielder’s agreement.

If McTominay agrees to the move, the fee paid by the Serie A club will include add-ons. It would strengthen United’s bid to sign Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte, the number six Erik ten Hag hopes will add quality and bolster his options in the position. Casemiro is the only senior holding player in the first-team squad.

While United are not dependent on a sale in order to recruit Ugarte, a Uruguay international, the hierarchy’s preference is to bring in extra funds before doing so.

McTominay, who scored 10 goals last term, has been with United since junior school. His debut came under José Mourinho in May 2017 as substitute in a 2-0 defeat against Arsenal and he has made 255 appearances for United, scoring eight times.

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The 27-year-old has won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, and is the current Scottish Football Writers’ Association men’s international player of the year.

Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers expects Matt O’Riley to complete his move from Celtic to Brighton in “the next couple of days.”

The 23-year-old Denmark midfielder is down south undergoing a medical for a transfer reportedly worth £25 million to the Hoops.

O’Riley joined Celtic from MK Dons in January 2022 for a reported fee of £1.5m.

Speaking before the William Hill Premiership game against St Mirren in Paisley, Hoops boss Rodgers told BBC Scotland: “He’ll be down in Brighton, completing his medical so we expect that to go through over the course of the next couple of days.

“If a player leaves here, you pay for the player and not necessarily the league. The club have done great in terms of a business perspective, of course.

“From a footballing perspective, you’re always sad to lose a top player. He’s been absolutely magnificent in this last year.

“Pleased for Matt in terms of, he gets a move to the Premier League and for us, we continue to push on and that’s the model of the club.”

Celtic have been linked with 20-year-old Augsburg midfielder Arne Engels.

On possible new recruits, Rodgers said: “Ideal scenario is we wouldn’t be having to do so much business in the last week, however there’s still that time for us to do something and improve the squad.

“Hopefully over the course of this next week, we can get some players in that can give us strength in depth in the squad because after September we’ve got a really long season.”