Roy Keane points finger of blame over Man Utd star’s exit – ‘It tarnished him’

Scott McTominay has thrived since leaving Manchester United and joining Napoli with Roy Keane confessing his link up with Fred never allowed him to play his best football

Roy Keane admits Scott McTominay’s time at Manchester United was “tarnished a little bit” by his constant association with Fred prior to his exit. The Scot left Old Trafford in the summer – a move which has greatly backfired on the Red Devils.

McTominay came through the ranks in Manchester but played in a side that often struggled for consistency. The bulk of his football came under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who regularly paired him with Fred at the base of midfield.

That combination copped criticism with some claiming United needed more star quality in that area. The pair were conveniently named McFred and were viewed as a safe option by Solskjaer, but it appeared to hold back the Scottish star from unlocking his potential.

McTominay was sold in the summer, partly for PSR reasons as United toed the line financially, but the decision has looked a shocker with the 28-year-old excelling for Napoli en route to a possible Serie A title in his first year in Italy.

The ex-United man has scored 12 times in Naples, where he’s become a fan favourite, and Keane concedes that his link-up with Fred didn’t aid him in Manchester.

READ MORE: Man Utd to have BARBECUE instead of parade if they beat Spurs in Europa League finalREAD MORE: Mikel Arteta red-faced as Arsenal transfer blunder put in focus with new update

The Irishman said on Stick to Football : “What didn’t help Scott was it was him and Fred together. It just wasn’t a good combo. I know Ole praises both of them – which is beyond me – I always thought there was something in Scott. He had more than Fred going on, but as a partnership it didn’t work, it wasn’t happening, United weren’t competing in midfield.

“It tarnished him a little bit, ‘McFred’ wasn’t it. He’s added to his game, to be fair to him. He’s always had a goal in him but he’s got that up to another level. If he wasn’t scoring the goals at Napoli we wouldn’t be talking about him. But you can’t keep talking about players who leave a big club and say we should have kept them.

“You can’t keep everyone. I think McTominay could have been in the group, 100%. But playing every week? I’m talking about the players you need to get Man United back to the top. They haven’t brought in better which is the problem for the club. United’s recruitment has been that poor that you still talk about former players.”

Solskjaer, now back in management with Besiktas, has recently confessed he was stunned to see the Manchester outfit part ways with McTominay. It was a decision taken under Erik ten Hag’s tenure but the Norwegian claimed: “How you can sell Scott is beyond me.”

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. 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.