£60k-a-week Manchester United player agrees terms with Turkish giants but there’s a catch

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Manchester United's Scottish midfielder #39 Scott McTominay celebrates after scoring the opening goal of the English FA Cup semi-final football match between Coventry City and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in north west London on April 21, 2024.
Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images

Manchester United have made two exciting signings in Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro so far this summer transfer window, but they must now sell to bring in more new players.

The midfield is an area that needs addressing after last season’s well-documented problems. Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are well into their 30s and not the force anymore, while Sofyan Amrabat has returned to Fiorentina after Manchester United decided not to trigger the buyout option in his contract.

Amidst the transfer hullabaloo, Turkish outlet Aspor journalist Emre Kaplan has confirmed on X that Scott McTominay has agreed to join Turkish giants Galatasaray for an annual package of €5.5m. Negotiations between Man United and Galatasaray have been going on for a long time now, but the catch is that head coach Erik ten Hag’s decision remains pivotal for the deal getting over the line.

Scott McTominay, 27, represented Scotland at Euro 2024 at the back of his career-best campaign at Old Trafford, scoring 10 goals across all competitions. He was one of the rare bright spots in an otherwise torrid 2023/24 campaign that saw the Red Devils finish eighth in the Premier League.

The Scotland international scored crucial goals in Man United’s league wins over Brentford, Chelsea, Sheffield United and Wolves this past term. He has entered the final 12 months of his contract, although the club hold the option of extending it by another year.

At this juncture, any outcome over McTominay remains a concrete possibility, but Erik ten Hag’s verdict will be crucial, especially after the public affirmation of his wish to keep the central midfielder in his squad.

The 27-year-old has been a valuable player for the Red Devils ever since he broke into the first team, contributing mostly in big games and impressing with his tenacity, work rate and desire. So, INEOS have a big decision to make—whether they cash in on Scott amidst Galatasaray interest or trigger a one-year contract and extend his stay at the club.