Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed that he blocked a move for Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay to join Derby back in 2019.
In an interview with The Athletic, Solskjaer said that he did not regret keeping McTominay after his performance against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, in which they came back from a two goal deficit in the first leg to win at the Parc des Princes 3-1, and qualify for the quarter-finals.
“I made one selfish decision — to keep Scott McTominay when he could have gone on loan to Derby in 2019 to play more football. We kept him, we played him and after beating PSG away when he and Fred played well at the base of midfield, I think we did the right thing. Scott’s a Man United player through and through.”
How would have Scott McTominay fit in at Derby at the time?
Derby at the time were being managed by Frank Lampard, and tried to sign McTominay in the January window of that season.
Their squad at the time had what are now household names such as England internationals Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori, now at Manchester United (with McTominay) and A.C. Milan respectively, and Harry Wilson, now of Fulham in the Premier League.
Unfortunately for Derby, despite being top of the Championship at Christmas, they ended the season in sixth position, losing in the play-off final to Aston Villa. Now in League One, the Rams may rue that missed chance to sign a quality midfielder.
McTominay is predominantly a holding midfielder for United, and Derby’s at the time were Tom Huddlestone and Rams’ icon Craig Bryson. Looking back, McTominay, 22 at the time, would have given the Rams’ some energy in their midfield with Huddlestone and Bryson both in their early thirties at the time.
Based on how well the loanees of Mount, Tomori and Wilson, the loan may have been very beneficial for the Scotland international. However, he has gone to become a regular Premier League footballer, starting for United in their 3-1 loss at home to Brighton on Saturday afternoon.