Newcastle United

Newcastle: Dan Ashworth still wants to sign Scott McTominay

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Image for Newcastle: Dan Ashworth still wants to sign Scott McTominay

Newcastle are big fans of Manchester United’s Scott McTominay, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

What’s the latest on Newcastle’s interest in McTominay?

Newcastle are likely to have a busy summer, with PIF looking to strengthen as the club looks likely to compete in at least the Europa League next season.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, writing for CaughtOffside, has said provided an update on the situation, claiming that a new midfielder is one of two positional priorities ahead of the summer transfer window.

Romano suggests that McTominay is a player expected to be back on the radar of sporting director Dan Ashworth after they initially failed with an approach for the Scotsman in January.

“Scott McTominay remains a player they really like, including Eddie Howe; but Man United rejected the approaches in January and let’s see what they will decide in the summer!” he revealed.

The £78k-per-week man is out of contract in the summer of 2025 and the Red Devils would reportedly be willing to let him leave for just £25m at the end of this season.

Manchester United's Scott McTominay celebrates after winning the Carabao Cup

Why do Newcastle want McTominay?

The 26-year-old may not be a regular for the Red Devils at the moment, but his top-level experience, at both club and international level, would surely help strengthen Eddie Howe’s side as they prepare for the next stage of their project under PIF.

Despite starting just seven games for his club this season, McTominay has reminded fans of his ability this international break with two stunning performances for his country Scotland in qualifying for Euro 2024.

The Lancaster-born man scored twice off the bench in a 3-0 victory against Cyprus, before registering another double as Scotland stunned Spain 2-0 to begin their campaign with six points out of six.

He received the man of the match award for both matches, receiving an 8.06 WhoScored rating against Cyprus and a staggering 8.5 rating against Spain.

Whilst this type of goalscoring prowess is rarely shown at Old Trafford, McTominay’s dominance in the middle of the park is shown by him being in the top 1% for clearances and top 5% of aerial duals won compared to other midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues- as per FBref.

Former United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has referred to him as “a physical monster” (via talkSPORT) whilst ex-Red Devils boss Jose Mourinho, who sometimes deployed him at centre-back, once hailed him as “special“.

The 38-cap Scotland international’s versatility, work ethic, and technical abilities would make him a valuable asset for a team looking to grow in stature with significant new investment.

If Ashworth can secure McTominay’s signature, it could prove to be a game-changing move for the Magpies.

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