Sir Jim Ratcliffe warned Man Utd's McTominay mistake on the brink of repeating
After Scott McTominay enjoyed the season of his life at Napoli, Paul Ince warned Sir Jim Ratcliffe against allowing other stars to depart Manchester United
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Ince has cautioned Sir Jim Ratcliffe about hastily selling Rasmus Hojlund, advising a loan spell might be more beneficial based on Scott McTominay's experience. The Red Devils had a dreadful season, finishing an abysmal 15th and succumbing to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.
Meanwhile, McTominay flourished with Napoli and was named Serie A's Most Valuable Player. For Antonio Conte's side, he has proven to be a bargain at £25million.
Against this backdrop, £72m man Hojlund struggled this season and looked equally at sea under Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim. However, Ince is convinced there is a top striker in Hojlund waiting to be unleashed.
The ex-Inter Milan man urged Ratcliffe to loan the 22-year-old, perhaps to another team in Serie A, so he can find his confidence and return to United as a more well-rounded and experienced forward. United lost out on the opportunity to do this with McTominay, as they sold him to the Serie A champions permanently.
Speaking on behalf of bet365, Ince told the Manchester Evening News: "He (Hojlund) is still a young lad. He's got a lot to learn. I'd like to see him go on loan somewhere, let him go find his feet, get a bit of confidence.
"It's a tough place at United with the expectations, that are required from you. He might need someone to play next to him, maybe a senior centre-forward, to take him under his wing.
"It looks like he is playing every game on his own. I know Zirkzee has come from Bologna, but that has not really worked out in this moment of time. As a striker, you need someone to lean on and take the pressure off you, but he has not had that all season. It looks like it is affecting his game.
"There is a very good player in there, believe me, a very good player. Maybe a little loan spell, out in Italy, somewhere like that, get some goals for a few months, get some confidence and then come back in.
"United look like they are about to sign (Matheus) Cunha, who is a very good player, but even someone like Ollie Watkins would be a very good player.
"Maybe Hojlund could come back after that, work underneath, play a certain amount of games where the pressure would not be on him too much? At the minute, there is a lot of pressure."
Despite arriving from Atalanta with a hefty £72m price tag in the summer of 2023, Hojlund has struggled to live up to expectations at Old Trafford, managing just four Premier League goals this season amidst a challenging campaign.
United were understood to be plotting a move for Liam Delap, but the Ipswich Town hitman looks to be on his way to Chelsea. Amorim has looked seemingly unimpressed by Hojlund's efforts.
However, Ince points to McTominay's successful stint in Naples as an example of how a move could jumpstart his fortunes. He said: "It's funny because some players fit certain teams and environments.
"When you look at Scott McTominay, you think, 'How the hell did they let him go?' Sometimes, it's the manager, what is going on at the club. You look at Antony, he's been great at Real Betis and played in a cup final.
"You look at these two players, who could not perform the way they are performing now. Is it them, is it the coach, is it the environment, the pressures and expectations of playing for Manchester United?
"As a midfield player, I've always loved McTominay, I always thought he was one of the few who was actually trying to make things happen at Manchester United. But I'm so pleased he's managed to go there, because he will be a god there. I know what those fans are like and Antony the same."
Paul Ince was speaking on behalf of bet365, the official global partner of the UEFA Champions League, which is hosting its Big Ticket Giveaway Game this Friday 30th May in Munich from 4pm, where fans have the chance to win tickets to the UEFA Champions League final. Full Terms and Conditions apply. Gamble Responsibly. Full interview can be found at bet365 News.
Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
35 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Injury blow for Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic ahead of Club World Cup
Kovacic missed the FA Cup final defeat to Crystal Palace through injury earlier this month. He returned to face Bournemouth in the Premier League but was sent off and sat out the final game of the season at Fulham. City have now confirmed the 31-year-old has required an operation. No timescale has been put on his recovery but the focus is now on next season. A club statement read: 'The Croatian midfielder is now set to miss the FIFA Club World Cup as City head to the USA in June. 'Mateo will spend the summer rehabilitating from the operation and everyone at the club wishes him a speedy recovery.' City face Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca in their first match of the Club World Cup in Philadelphia on June 18. They have further group games against Al Ain of Abu Dhabi and Juventus. The 32-team tournament concludes on July 13.
South Wales Guardian
35 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Ryan Mason set for first permanent managerial role after agreeing West Brom move
West Brom have been on the hunt for a new manager since Tony Mowbray was dismissed on April 21. Mason quickly emerged as a leading candidate, but Spurs' roller-coaster 2024-25 campaign – in which they secured Europa League success – only ended on May 25. After a short holiday, the former England midfielder was given time to deliberate and has now decided to accept West Brom's offer. It brings a seven-year coaching career at Tottenham to an end for Mason, who progressed through the club's academy to also play 70 times for his boyhood team. A post shared by Ryan Mason (@ryan8mason) A decade on from earning his solitary England cap against Italy, the London-born coach will embark on his first managerial role in the Championship. Highly-rated coach Mason held talks with Belgian club Anderlecht in October before a mutual decision was made to remain at Spurs, which enabled the 33-year-old to play his part in the club's first trophy since 2008. After two previous caretaker stints at Tottenham, including leading the club into the 2021 Carabao Cup final, Mason has long been tipped for a future in management. Mason initially started coaching at youth level for Spurs upon his retirement in 2018 before being promoted to Antonio Conte's coaching staff three years later not long after a seven-game spell as interim boss. Another caretaker role came in 2023 following Conte's departure before Ange Postecoglou kept Mason as part of his backroom team. After a further two years as Tottenham first-team coach, Mason will take over West Brom after they finished ninth in the Championship. Mowbray was dismissed in April after their play-off hopes ended despite only being hired in January to replace Carlos Corberan, who left to take over at Valencia. Mason, whose contract at Spurs was up this month, will be tasked with leading West Brom back into the top flight for the first time since 2021.
South Wales Guardian
35 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Caoimhin Kelleher can be one of Premier League's best keepers – Jake O'Brien
The 26-year-old was conspicuous by his absence from training with the Ireland squad on Monday morning having travelled to London with a view to tying up a move to the Gtech Community Stadium which could eventually cost the Bees £18million. Kelleher, who picked up a league winners' medal with the Reds this season, has made no secret of his desire for regular first-team football and with Mark Flekken seemingly heading for Bayer Leverkusen, looks sets to be granted his wish by Thomas Frank. Everton defender O'Brien, who will hope to play alongside his fellow Cork man in Friday's friendly clash with Senegal in Dublin, told a press conference: 'It doesn't take for me to say how good he is. I think everyone knows how good he is and what he's achieved over the last couple of years. 'If it goes through, it's a great move for him, to become a number one in the Premier League. 'It's a great move for him, to go and play every week is very important and he's more than good enough. Brentford have done well this season so it's a club he can progress and do a lot at. 'I think everyone knows how good he is and how high his ceiling is. He can push on and do great things.' Kelleher, who also has two Carabao Cup wins to his name, made 20 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool during the season which has just finished but had to play second fiddle to Brazilian Alisson Becker once again. He has been open in the recent past while on international duty about his need to play every week and, having made the Ireland jersey his own in the midst of Gavin Bazunu's injury problems, seems ready now to set out on a new path. O'Brien said: 'It's a difficult one because he is number two at Liverpool, but he's obviously got a really good keeper ahead of him. 'He's definitely up there with the best keepers in the Premier League and I think next year he'll show that he's up there with the best. 'I think he's proven in the games he has played for Liverpool that he can be up there with some of the best keepers in the league.' Although O'Brien and Kelleher live close to each other on Merseyside, they are separated by the city's football divide and the Blues defender, who joined the Toffees from Lyon last summer, admits he does not see a lot of his compatriot outside of their international commitments. He said: 'I think that's just because in football, you've other things going on. 'He lives in the same area as me. I suppose it would be difficult if we were seen together as Merseyside rivals, some fans wouldn't take it well.'
