Manchester United can now proceed with the transfer of Manuel Ugarte, having agreed a deal with Napoli for the sale of Scott McTominay.
United were keen to add Ugarte to their squad after making a potential £58m move for Lenny Yolo in mid-July. However, the deal was delayed for financial reasons, as United needed to get the player off first to meet Premier League winning and sustainability rules.
Two offers for McTominay from Fulham were rejected at the start of the summer transfer window, as United deemed £20m short for the Scotland international. Marco Silva’s side were ultimately forced to sign Sander Berge from Burnley for £25m, after which Napoli increased their interest.
McTominay is in the final year of his contract and his home-grown status means he is considered a pure asset under accounting rules, making him an obvious candidate for sale. He will join Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku and Scotland teammate Billy Gilmour in Antonio Conte’s squad this summer.
The Athletic reports that United have given the green light to the move after Napoli paid €30 million for McTominay. United are also negotiating a clause that would give the 27-year-old midfielder a share of any future transfer fees.
Napoli are yet to agree personal terms with McTominay, but this moment is important for United as they move forward with the signing of Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain. The French record champions are still seeking a £51m fee for the Uruguay international, who was left out of the first team by manager Luis Enrique in Paris.
Erik ten Hag’s side are reportedly willing to pay £42m for Ugarte, but PSG have proposed a season-long loan with an obligation to buy for £51m next summer. Negotiations have dragged on but selling McTominay could speed things up ahead of the August 30 deadline.
In July, ten Hag emphasised how important McTominay was to his team following Fulham’s interest. “I think we have a very good player so other clubs will always be interested in them. “If he scores 10 goals in a season and plays well for Scotland then there will be interest,” he said.
“We would actually like to keep him because he is a very important player for our team. We saw last season what he could contribute and when we got the six and he was able to play a more advanced role he was a very interesting player for our team.”