MAN UTD’S SECRET 10% CLAUSE REVEALED: IS SCOTT MCTOMINAY COMING BACK TO ENGLAND?
Manchester United set for a £6m windfall! Discover the smart sell-on clause and the shock rumors of Scott McTominay’s return.
Manchester United stands to make a tidy profit thanks to a smart clause tucked into Scott McTominay’s transfer to Napoli. McTominay, who grew up at United and spent nearly twenty years at the club, left for Italy in 2024. Napoli paid £25.7 million, bringing an end to his long run with the Red Devils.
A lot of United fans weren’t thrilled about letting him go, especially since he came up through their academy. But United’s decision-makers played it well. They made sure to get a 10% sell-on clause in the deal, so if Napoli sells him down the line, United gets a slice of the fee. Not a bad bit of business, especially now that McTominay’s stock keeps rising. He’s 29, but he’s made a real name for himself in Italy, putting in big performances for both Napoli and Scotland, and now some of Europe’s biggest clubs are sniffing around.
McTominay’s first season with Napoli was a standout. He bagged 13 goals in 36 games and helped Antonio Conte’s squad win the Serie A title. That run earned him Napoli’s player of the year award and even a Ballon d’Or nomination—though Ousmane Dembele ended up taking home the prize.
He’s been just as important for Scotland. Thanks to his father, he’s eligible to play for them, and he’s made the most of it—scoring a wild overhead kick against Denmark in November. That goal helped Scotland beat Denmark 4-2 and book their first World Cup spot since 1998.
Right now, Transfermarkt values McTominay at about £40 million, and he’s got two and a half years left on his Napoli contract. Napoli sits third in Serie A, only two points back from Inter. If someone comes in and pays £40 million for him, United pockets an extra £4 million thanks to that sell-on clause.
But honestly, the fee could go even higher. Word is Napoli would listen to offers around £60 million, and there’s even talk of McTominay making a shock return to Old Trafford. Some reports say United are considering bringing him back, since Ruben Amorim wants more depth in the middle of the park.
United’s midfield is in a weird spot. Nobody knows what’ll happen long-term with Kobbie Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes, Casemiro, or Manuel Ugarte. Mainoo and Fernandes are both injured right now, which has left United scrambling for options.
That’s why Amorim ended up giving 18-year-old academy player Jack Fletcher a half against Newcastle on Boxing Day and even stuck Lisandro Martinez—a centre-back—into midfield against Aston Villa. United have also been linked to Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, and James Garner, who’s now with Everton but came up through United’s system.
MASTERCLASS: LAUTARO MARTINEZ AND ZIELINSKI DETAIL THE TACTICAL PLAN THAT DESTROYED BOLOGNA’S DEFENSE
Lautaro Martinez ignores a hand injury to lead Inter Milan to a 3-1 revenge win over Bologna. See the full tactical breakdown here.
Lautaro Martinez and Piotr Zielinski didn’t hide how much Inter’s tactical plan mattered in finally breaking their Bologna curse with that 3-1 win. “My hand hurts, but I’m heading home happy tonight,” Lautaro said with a grin.
So, Inter grabbed their fifth Serie A win in a row and held onto first place. But this one meant even more—they wanted to send a message after what happened last time against Bologna. Just a couple of weeks ago, Bologna knocked them out of the Supercoppa Italiana on penalties. And last season’s loss at the Stadio Dall’Ara? That stung, and it cost them in the title race.
Not tonight, though. Piotr Zielinski, Lautaro Martinez, and Marcus Thuram all found the net, and only a late goal from Santiago Castro gave Bologna anything to smile about.
Inter had been struggling with Bologna lately, no question.
Lautaro explained, “Before the game, we made a plan, and honestly, it worked perfectly. We pressed hard right after losing the ball, and Bologna couldn’t handle it. Our midfielders were right there on the second ball, which set up our chances. That’s how we got our goals.”
Lautaro’s on fire—six goals in his last five Serie A games. Still, the night started rough. Early on, someone stepped on his hand. Didn’t stop him, though.
“These three points mean a lot. My hand hurts, yeah, but I play through it and give everything for the team. That’s why I’m happy tonight.”
He also had a laugh, celebrating with Thuram after that odd goal—Thuram kind of bundled it in with his chest, barely knowing what hit him.
“We had one last sprint after that goal. I’m happy for him—he deserves it. Everyone’s working for the team, and we all want to take Inter as far as we can.”
Zielinski grabbed his second Serie A goal of the season—his third in all competitions—and he’s turning into a regular under Cristian Chivu.
“I’ve been feeling good for a while now, and I’m glad I can help the team,” Zielinski told DAZN Italia.
“Everything went well, except for that late goal. We were in control for most of it. That matters, especially given our recent problems against Bologna.”
MAURIZIO SARRI CONFIRMS LAZIO NEED "IMPORTANT PLAYERS" TO SAVE THEIR SEASON
Maurizio Sarri hits out at Lazio’s lack of preparation after a 2-0 loss to Napoli. Read his shock transfer demands today.
Maurizio Sarri didn’t hold back—again—when talking about Lazio’s lack of preparation for selling Taty Castellanos. He also called out the team for making mistakes against Napoli.
He’d hoped for an easier day, especially after recovering from minor heart surgery over the holidays. Instead, he got a wild match: three red cards, tempers flaring, and chaos everywhere.
Matteo Politano set up goals for both Leonardo Spinazzola and Amir Rrahmani. Then Tijjani Noslin picked up a second yellow for a clumsy tackle, and things really boiled over with a scrap between Adam Marusic and Pasquale Mazzocchi.
Now Lazio has racked up seven red cards in Serie A this season. Noslin and Marusic sit out the next match against Fiorentina, and Boulaye Dia and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru are still away at AFCON. The squad’s stretched thin.
Sarri’s frustration is hard to miss, both with what’s happening on the pitch and off it.
“We lost because Napoli is a stronger team, but honestly, we didn’t help ourselves in the first half,” Sarri told DAZN Italia. “Losing happens, but we should have done better. Dealing with those attacking wing-backs is a headache for any team.
“The first goal? The cross was slow and easy to read. We knew exactly where it’d end up, but we still messed up.”
Lazio couldn’t make many changes to the squad last summer because of financial rules. Those restrictions are gone now, thanks in part to selling Castellanos to West Ham for €30 million. Still, they haven’t signed anyone to replace him yet, and now there’s talk that Fenerbahce wants to pay €27 million for Matteo Guendouzi.
“Castellanos was ready to leave, so it’s tough to keep a player in that situation,” Sarri said. “We saw this coming. Honestly, we should’ve been more prepared.”
Everyone expects Lazio to jump back into the transfer market. What does Sarri want? He’s clear about that.
“You’ll have to ask the director. I told him we need important players in key positions. There’s no use signing guys who aren’t better than what we already have.
“Where this goes now is up to the club and the director.”