Man Utd star goes over Ten Hag's head with summer transfer demand

Stuart Telford

• 8 Apr 2023 15:50 BST
• 3 min read

Scott McTominay has reportedly told the Manchester United board that he wants to leave if they sign another midfielder next summer.

McTominay has fallen down the United pecking order this term, with Casemiro pushing him out of the team following the Brazilian's €80 million arrival from Real Madrid.

Only 10 of McTominay's 21 Premier League appearances this season have been starts, and he has been linked with a move to Newcastle next summer.

READ: Man Utd willing to sell academy star to fund summer transfers

The Scotland international is reluctant to leave a club he has been at since the age of five, but if Erik ten Hag continues to bolster his midfield - a permanent move for Bayern Munich loanee Marcel Sabitzer has been mooted - McTominay could leave.

McTominay frustration

"Scott McTominay has informed the Man United board that he wants to leave this summer if dropped further down the pecking order," report Football Insider.

"McTominay wants regular playing time while at the peak of his career, and he views another midfield signing in the summer as a huge threat to his role in the squad."

READ: Bayern's stance on Sabitzer's Man Utd transfer request

There is speculation that Ten Hag plans to change United's system to a 4-3-3 next season, which should help a player like McTominay whilst harming natural No.10s like Bruno Fernandes, but the 26-year-old also has the returning Christian Eriksen to contend with.

Casemiro, McTominay, Sabitzer, Eriksen and Fred is already an awkward five into two, and even with one more central midfield place available, things are getting too busy in there for the Lancashire-born Scot's liking.

McTominay is valued at €29.7 million by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm - a number Newcastle are more able to reach than Scottish giants Rangers and Celtic…

Man Utd club legend Paul Parker recently suggested that McTominay should continue his career north of the border - but that he was only good enough for Rangers and not Celtic.