Ten Hag accuses Man United board of broken promises and reveals McTominay embarrassment

Erik ten Hag has publicly accused Manchester United’s board of breaking promises made to him before his sacking, singling out the sale of Scott McTominay to Napoli in the summer of 2024 as a moment that left him feeling ‘very embarrassed and disappointed’.

Speaking to The Athletic, the former United manager revealed that he had secured what he believed was a firm agreement during pre-season talks in Ibiza that McTominay would not be sold. ‘I said, “No selling Scott McTominay”. We would go aligned in the transfer window,’ ten Hag said. ‘I make an argument, a reason: we don’t have scoring abilities. Scott brings scoring abilities and great mentality. He has United in all his veins. So when they bring up the subject, “No”. And in the end, they sold him. I got, of course, very embarrassed and disappointed.’

The accusation adds to a picture of a fractured relationship between ten Hag and the United hierarchy during his final months at the club. Manuel Ugarte was signed as McTominay’s replacement, but the Dutchman’s broader point — that the board did not honour commitments made to him — suggests the breakdown ran deeper than a single transfer decision.

McTominay’s subsequent form has lent weight to ten Hag’s frustration. The Scotland international has flourished at Napoli, becoming one of the standout performers in Serie A and winning the Italian title with the club. In his final full season at Old Trafford he scored ten goals across all competitions, with only Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund — who each netted 16 — finishing ahead of him.

Ten Hag was dismissed by United in October 2024 after a poor start to the Premier League season, with Ruud van Nistelrooy briefly taking interim charge before Rúben Amorim was appointed as permanent manager. The Dutchman has remained largely silent since his departure, making his comments to The Athletic among his most candid since leaving Old Trafford.