The solution to finding form as a Manchester United player? On current evidence, it would seem that sealing a move away is the perfect answer.
Having stepped out of the intense spotlight at Old Trafford, a number of individuals have rediscovered their groove elsewhere, with Marcus Rashford notably reaching double figures for goals and assists in just 17 games on loan at Aston Villa.
Even the much-maligned Antony – a player who arguably ranks among the worst signings in Premier League history, considering the limp return on his £86m investment – has dazzled for Real Betis in recent months, with five goals and four assists in 18 games out in Spain.
Perhaps the biggest success story, however, lies with Scott McTominay, with the towering midfielder spearheading Napoli’s Scudetto charge, having scored 11 Serie A goals in 2024/24 – including five in his last three league outings.
Were United and INEOS right to let him go?
Why Man Utd sold Scott McTominay
A miserable 2023/24 campaign under Erik ten Hag was one of few bright spots – excluding the FA Cup final triumph to round things off – although the displays of McTominay were one element to shout about, with the Scotland star scoring ten goals in all competitions.
That stellar impact included memorable efforts like his stoppage-time brace against Brentford to seal a 2-1 win at Old Trafford, as well as his opener in the 4-3 thriller with Liverpool, having become a figure whom the Dutchman could rely upon.
Having had just a year left on his deal heading into last summer, however – and with United feeling the need to comply with PSR regulations – the new INEOS regime took the decision to cash in on the 28-year-old, raking in £25m of ‘pure profit’.
That sale – which allowed the Red Devils to subsequently sign fellow midfielder, Manuel Ugarte – was one that Ten Hag certainly didn’t agree with, having later admitted that he “didn’t want” to sell a player who he labelled as having “Manchester United in his veins”.
Not only were there financial benefits to that decision to sell, but the problem for McTominay was the lack of an obvious starting berth in the side, having actually only started 27 games in that final campaign at the club.
The 6 foot 4 ace – as his goal return showcased – was not defensive-minded enough to operate as a deep-lying midfielder, while it was also unlikely for him to be able to dislodge captain Bruno Fernandes in a number ten berth.
In the end, McTominay was parachuted in as something of a makeshift striker or false nine in the final weeks of the season, albeit with that hardly representing a long-term solution.
As it is, despite being a reliable presence loved by his manager and a player who had starred last term, a permanent place in the side looked unlikely moving forward. Could the same now be set to occur with one of his former colleagues?
The Man Utd star facing McTominay repeat
As alluded to, McTominay lacked that real quality in a defensive sense to thrive at the base of the midfield, having ranked in the bottom 31% of midfielders in the Premier League for interceptions made per 90 in 2023/24, as well as in just the top 35% for tackles made per 90, as per FBref.
Equally, his ability on the ball, particularly creatively, could also be brought into question, as he ranked in just the bottom 8% for shot-creating actions, the bottom 8% for passes attempted and the bottom 17% for progressive passes.
A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent’s goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.
In essence, despite his role as a box-crashing game-changer, McTominay couldn’t truly settle on a regular position under Ten Hag, with that a fate that could befall Noussair Mazraoui heading into next season.
First and foremost, the £12.9m arrival from Bayern Munich has proven to be an “outrageous bargain” amid a promising debut season in Manchester, in the words of journalist Liam Canning, having become the club’s ‘Mr Consistent’ due to his impressive availability and reliability.
Indeed, the Moroccan star has played 51 games in all competitions, with 34 of those coming under Ruben Amorim’s watch – the joint-most of any player since the Portuguese coach took charge.
Like McTominay was under Ten Hag, Mazraoui is a player beloved by his manager, with Amorim describing the 27-year-old as the “future of our team” back in December, while also later lauding the defender’s “amazing” work ethic.
Like McTominay too, however, there could be a case that in the new manager’s 3-4-3 set-up, the versatile asset is potentially too much of a jack of all trades, having floated between right wing-back, left wing-back or one of the centre-back berths.
With Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt and Ayden Heaven all in contention to feature at centre-back when fit – as well as the stricken Lisandro Martinez – there are more suitable long-term options than Mazraoui in those roles.
Equally, at wing-back, the former Ajax man’s lack of genuine attacking threat could also be his undoing in the long term, considering he has only registered three assists while failing to score this season.
Idrissa Gueye
123
Daniel Munoz
109
Noussair Mazraoui
102
Moises Caicedo
100
Joao Gomes
99
Alexis Mac Allister
95
Victor Kristiansen
85
Tyrick Mitchell
85
Antonee Robinson
84
Youri Tielemans
82
There’s no denying that Mazraoui – like McTominay before him – has been something of an unsung hero this term, not least considering he ranks third in the division for tackles made, but there does need to be questions asked over what his role will be on a permanent basis moving forward.
At present, the £135k-per-week star is proving invaluable due to his ability to cover up the club’s lingering injury woes with his positional flexibility, although once Amorim has been handed a summer to spend and settle on a side, will Mazraoui feature quite so prominently?
Again, in a similar mould to McTominay, such a valued squad member might not be afforded the starring role that his quality deserves.
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