McTominay’s Rise Makes Man United’s Sell‑On Look Like Small Change
Scott McTominay’s Italian renaissance is one of the stories of the season, and it has Manchester United fans glancing at the small print. The midfielder left Old Trafford for Napoli in the summer of 2024 for roughly £26m, and since then he’s gone from useful squad man to bona fide headline act in Serie A and for Scotland.
The sell‑on: small slice, real money
GIVEMESPORT’s Fabrizio Romano says United did insert a sell‑on clause when they shook hands with Napoli—only it isn’t a blockbuster cut. The percentage, once floated at 10%, is actually undisclosed, but Romano’s line is clear: it’s not a big one. Still, a slice is a slice, and if McTominay’s value keeps climbing, that modest clause could still nudge a few extra millions back to Old Trafford if Napoli eventually cash in.
No buyback safety net
Crucially for United, there’s no buyback clause. So if the Red Devils fancy a reunion somewhere down the road, they’d be paying the going rate—albeit with the sell‑on effectively acting as a small rebate. Right now, that feels hypothetical. McTominay looks perfectly at home in Naples and there’s no rush for a return to British shores.
Why the chatter now? Because he’s flying
McTominay rattled in 12 goals across 34 Serie A appearances as Napoli reclaimed the Scudetto last term, scooping the league’s MVP award for 2024–25. He’s opened the new campaign with the same swagger, nicking October’s Goal of the Month thanks to a thunderous strike in a 3–1 win over Inter at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. And for Scotland in 2025, he’s three in eight caps—including a stunning overhead at Hampden as the Tartan Army punched their ticket to the 2026 World Cup, their first since 1998.
United’s perspective: price, performance, and pragmatism
Was £26m light? With hindsight and the medals on the table, you could make that argument. But at the time, United banked a solid fee for a player who wanted a larger role. The club did what prudent sellers do: protected the downside with a sell‑on. It isn’t enormous, but in a market where fees can rocket after one more standout season, even a modest percentage can be meaningful.
What happens next?
Unless something dramatic changes, expect more of the same: McTominay bossing midfields in Italy, Napoli enjoying the payoff, and United keeping a polite interest from afar. Should a big bid arrive, that sell‑on gives Old Trafford a small financial pat on the back—just don’t expect it to be transformative.
For those keeping tabs on transfer ripples and form lines—this saga is a reminder that smart clauses matter, even when they’re not headline numbers. If you’re weighing up the wider football landscape and odds chat across the best betting sites, remember this much: United did include a sell‑on, there’s no buyback, and the player is soaring. Simple, really.
