Manchester United’s ‘monster’ looks like new McTominay, but he’s not even a midfielder

Finally, in recent weeks Manchester United’s midfield line-up has become more cohesive again, with manager Michael Carrick reverting to a 4-2-3-1.

The pivot has Casemiro’s experience and defensive flair, while playmaking genius Bruno Fernandes fills the role of a roaming No. 10, all flanked by a resurgent Koby Mainu in the middle.

After much debate over the merits of a midfield pair during the 14-month reign of Reuben Amorim, Carrick was quick to find a more fruitful solution in the center of the park.

Indeed, for the first time in a long time, the division appears to be firing on all cylinders, although a longer-term answer needs to be found given Casemiro’s summer departure is already confirmed.

There have been rumors of Scott McTominay’s possible return ahead of a summer when United could bring in at least two new midfielders, but is that really the best solution for all parties?

Why Manchester United should not re-sign Scott McTominay

The INEOS administration has acted ruthlessly regarding the recent spills at the counter, but have there actually been too many glaring mistakes in that department? Does anyone really look up to Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho or Anthony? The list goes on.

One man who has made the Old Trafford team look pretty ridiculous since his departure is McTominay, the oft-maligned Carrington School graduate who finished 18th on last year’s Ballon d’Or shortlist and led Napoli to the Serie A MVP title.

The Scotland star, whose stunning overhead kick against Denmark also helped his country qualify for the World Cup, had the best season of his career at Manchester in 2023-24, scoring 10 goals in all competitions under Erik ten Hag.

Although a notable starter in the FA Cup final, the 29-year-old was primarily an impact player under the Dutch manager that year, and INEOS finally decided it was the right time to make some money, accepting a transfer fee of around £30 million for a player who at the time only had one year left on his contract.

Eighteen months later, that decision has likely backfired, but it has more to do with the struggles of his replacement Manuel Ugarte, with the Uruguayan already looking set for an exit after an unforgettable moment at the Theater of Dreams.

McTominay’s own move has proven to be far more impressive, with reports suggesting a return to his old club could be considered, but that is a scenario to be avoided, especially given the 6ft 4in talent is set to turn 30 later this year.

Equally, given his almost god-like status at Napoli, it would be foolish for the player himself, who has never been a real mainstay in Manchester, to return to England.

Man United could welcome McTominay back to Old Trafford

As mentioned above, McTominay never emerged as a leading figure for the Red Devils, and while he was almost a 12th man in his final year and deserved to be a starter, he never had a clear path to the starting lineup.

Indeed, in that 2023/24 season, the Lancastrian-born powerhouse earned super-sub status and, in fact, scored notable goals off the bench in away games against Molineux and Villa Park, as well as scoring the last two goals against Brentford at Old Trafford.

In many ways, he emerged as Ten Hag’s get-out-of-jail-free card, with his height and box-crushing ability proving a rare asset for opposing defenders, especially in the final stages of matches.

That trick has been repeated to some degree under Carrick’s new ‘era’, with Benjamin Sesco likely to become United’s new 12th man, given his limited but significant involvement in recent weeks.

Sesco, reborn following Amorim’s departure, scored three goals in two games under caretaker manager Darren Fletcher, but has not started since then, although Carrick has favored a more fluid frontline of late.

As a result, the 6ft 5 Slovenian was reduced to a mere late cameo, but emulating McTominay’s ability to convert limited chances with both hands, he smashed home first on the turn to secure victory at home against Fulham.

The 22-year-old should have added a third for the day in the subsequent win over Tottenham Hotspur with a header straight past Guglielmo Vicario after a fun dink from Bruno Fernandes, but another act of relief at the London Stadium more than made up for that inconsequential moment.

Sesco’s deft flick found the top corner as United raced into the box to score an equalizer against a tenacious West Ham United side, taking his tally to six goals in his last five league and cup games.

There are now calls for the £74million man to start moving on, but as with McTominay’s own situation, Matheus Cunha, Brian Mbeumo and Amad have recently emerged as key figures, so the question is who will make way.

In the short term, acting as United’s effective impact man could be a useful role for Sesco, but the young ‘monster’ hailed by analyst and scout Ben Mattinson will need to perform even better than McTominay to secure a regular starting berth.

In fact, if the in-form centre-forward is given a chance from the start in the near future, he will have no choice but to seize it.