Ten Hag accuses Man Utd of broken promises and 'embarrassing' McTominay sale in first interview since sacking

Erik ten Hag has accused Manchester United’s ownership of breaking promises made to him before his sacking in October 2024, singling out the £25 million sale of Scott McTominay as a decision that left him “embarrassed and disappointed”.

In his first major interview since being dismissed — speaking to The Athletic — the Dutchman revealed that he had made keeping McTominay a condition of his continued cooperation in the summer 2024 transfer window. “In Ibiza, we agreed. I said, ‘No selling Scott McTominay’,” Ten Hag said. “And in the end they sold him. I got, of course, very embarrassed and disappointed.”

Ten Hag had been on uncertain ground even before that summer, with United holding talks with Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi before ultimately triggering a clause in his contract to extend his stay. He says he demanded that extension come with genuine backing. “I wouldn’t go on with only one year left,” he explained. “So I said, ‘I need an extra year and we have to do it together’. They promised me loyalty, they promised me backing, they promised communication, that we get aligned. But the promises, they didn’t keep.”

The case for retaining McTominay, Ten Hag argued, was straightforward. “We don’t have scoring abilities. Scott brings scoring abilities and great mentality. He has United in all his veins.” The midfielder had scored 10 goals in the 2023-24 season before his move to Napoli, where he has since registered 27 goals and 10 assists in 85 appearances and helped the club win the Serie A title in his debut campaign.

United used the McTominay funds as part of the outlay to sign Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain for £50 million — a deal that has not drawn the same acclaim.

The McTominay dispute was not the only transfer grievance Ten Hag aired. He also revealed he had pushed for the signings of Frenkie de Jong, Declan Rice and Harry Kane, none of whom arrived at Old Trafford during his tenure. On the De Jong pursuit, he indicated that the public perception of managers driving transfer negotiations was wide of the mark, suggesting financial decisions were made above his level.

Ten Hag was ultimately sacked following a defeat by West Ham, having won the FA Cup in May 2024 — his second trophy at the club after the Carabao Cup the previous season. His account paints a picture of a manager who felt undermined by the hierarchy led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos team from the moment his contract extension was signed.