Scott McTominay had a career-best season at Napoli in 2024/25. He came in Italy that summer for about £25 million, leaving Manchester United without many admirers who were heartbroken to see him go.
Indeed, the Scottish midfielder was heavily criticised throughout his time in England, with many claiming that he was not talented enough for the Red Devils, despite Sir Alex Ferguson’s admiration for the player. McTominay has since proved his critics wrong.
During his first season in Italy, he led Napoli to win their fourth Serie A triumph. He wasn’t a bit-part player either, scoring 13 league goals, including a spectacular overhead kick to claim the Scudetto, and winning the division MVP award.
The question now is: why was he ignored in the Premier League? Roy Keane, a Manchester United star, has shared his thoughts on the subject, alleging that one former teammate ‘tarnished’ Scott McTominay’s career at Old Trafford.
Roy Keane blames ‘McFred’ for McTominay’s struggles.
“It just wasn’t a good combo”
Scott McTominay had a career-best season at Napoli in 2024/25. He came in Italy that summer for about £25 million, leaving Manchester United without many admirers who were heartbroken to see him go.
Indeed, the Scottish midfielder was heavily criticised throughout his time in England, with many claiming that he was not talented enough for the Red Devils, despite Sir Alex Ferguson’s admiration for the player. McTominay has since proved his critics wrong.
During his first season in Italy, he led Napoli to win their fourth Serie A triumph. He wasn’t a bit-part player either, scoring 13 league goals, including a spectacular overhead kick to claim the Scudetto, and winning the division MVP award.
The question now is: why was he ignored in the Premier League? Roy Keane, a Manchester United star, has shared his thoughts on the subject, alleging that one former teammate ‘tarnished’ Scott McTominay’s career at Old Trafford.
Roy Keane blames ‘McFred’ for McTominay’s struggles.
“It just wasn’t a good combo”
Speaking on Stick to Football in May 2025, the analyst suggested that McTominay’s relationship with midfield partner Fred was harming his reputation. He explains:
“It didn’t help Scott that he and Fred were together. It was just not a nice combination. I know Ole thinks highly of both of them, which surprises me because I’ve always thought Scott had something special. He had more going on than Fred, but the pairing didn’t work; it wasn’t happening, and United weren’t contending in midfield.
“‘McFred’ didn’t do him any favors. To his credit, he’s improved his game. He has always had a goal, but he has taken it to a new level. If he wasn’t scoring goals for Napoli, we wouldn’t be talking about him. But you can’t keep talking about players leaving a large club and claiming we should have kept them.
“You cannot keep everyone. I believe McTominay could have been a member of the group. But, playing every week? I’m talking about the players you’ll need to return Manchester United to the top. They have not brought in better players, which is an issue for the team. United’s recruitment has been so dismal that you still hear about old players.”
Keane Wasn’t Shy of Criticising Duo in Past
Claimed Fred and McTominay ‘not good enough’ for Man Utd
Those who followed the Premier League during this time will surely recall the insulting ‘McFred’ nickname given to Manchester United’s midfielder tandem. As recently as 2022, Keane ripped into the pair.
Speaking after a 2-1 loss to Brighton, which was Erik ten Hag’s first competitive game as manager, Keane argued that the duo simply weren’t ‘good enough’ for the Red Devils. He noted:
“The decision-making and football intelligence, particularly from Fred – and I’ve been saying this for a long time – Fred and McTominay are inadequate. They will not restore Manchester United’s competitiveness at the top. We see it week in and week out. “They’re not up to it.”
It now appears that the problem may have been caused by Manchester United rather than the two midfielders. After all, McTominay has proven himself to be an excellent player in Naples, while Fred has impressed in Turkey with Fenerbahce, scoring eight goals and providing 16 assists since his arrival in 2023.
In Naples, he now goes by the appellation “McFratm” among admirers, a fun fusion of his name and “Fratm,” the Neapolitan phrase for “my brother.” This is a big cry from his previous, more pejorative nickname, ‘McFred’.
McTominay’s performance in Italy in his rookie season was so impressive that he finished 18th in the 2025 Ballon d’Or rankings, ahead of Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, and Virgil van Dijk. It was an appropriate reward for a guy who has dramatically improved his career since leaving Old Trafford in 2024.
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