Manchester United are set to pin Scott McTominay with a huge price-tag ahead of the summer transfer window, with Newcastle among those keeping tabs on his situation. If the Red Devils get their wish, only Cristiano Ronaldo and Romelu Lukaku will have fetched higher transfer fees when leaving Old Trafford.
McTominay has spent more than two decades on the books at United but with Marcel Sabitzer, Fred, Christian Eriksen and Casemiro already fighting it out for minutes in midfield, manager Erik ten Hag may feel as though he has enough cover.
Having been a regular in seasons gone by, McTominay has had to settle for just 10 Premier League starts this time around. And while goals are not a key selling point for the Scot, his strike against Everton on Saturday is his only goal contribution so far this campaign.
Still, the Magpies are heavily rumoured to be weighing up a move for McTominay, who could swap one top-four-chasing team for another by heading to St James’ Park.
According to The Daily Star, Newcastle will have to shell out a whopping £50million to get the deal done, in a move which would rank among United’s biggest-ever sales. It remains to be seen whether such a lofty asking price proves to be a stumbling block, with McTominay thought to be keen on securing regular football elsewhere.
United have only ever flogged two players for more than £50m, with Ronaldo’s blockbuster £80m move to Real Madrid setting a new world record when it went through in 2009. Although not quite as seismic, Inter Milan’s £73m swoop for Lukaku ten years later also provided the Glazers with a healthy cash injection.
Part of the reason United are able to demand so much is because McTominay still has two years remaining on his contract at Old Trafford, with the option of a further 12 months.
Newcastle would naturally love to get one over on United by pinching McTominay on the cheap after losing the Carabao Cup final to Ten Hag’s side earlier this season, although that now appears unlikely. The 26-year-old has made more than 200 senior appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 19 goals.
Both teams are firmly in the mix to qualify for next season’s Champions League, with a tense top-four race set to unfold over the coming weeks. Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has urged his players to embrace the situation rather than shy away from what’s at stake.
“Let’s try to enjoy it and relish every moment and embrace the challenge rather than in any way fear where we are,” he told reporters. “We are where we are on merit at the moment and we want more.”
“When you’re in this position, the pressure is just as intense, but in a slightly different way. Expectations rise and you try to keep up with that demand when you’re winning games.”
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