"He has Manchester United in his veins" - Ten Hag on Scott McTominay as he closes in on Old Trafford exit

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has heaped praise on midfielder Scott McTominay as he closes in on a move to Napoli. The Dutchman also conceded that he didn't want to part ways with the Scotland international.

The 27-year-old featured in 255 games for United, scoring 39 goals. However, McTominay's game time was set to take a hit this season due to the imminent arrival of Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Speaking to reporters about the midfielder's departure, Ten Hag stated he would've preferred to keep hold of McTominay. Here's what he said (via Manchester Evening News):

"I'm very happy for him and for us, but it's mixed [feelings] because I would have preferred not to lose him. He has Manchester United in his veins.

"He was so important for our team, he was at Manchester United for over 22 years. But unfortunately, it's the rules. You have to discuss the rules to do sells and obviously homegrown players, academy players, bring more value. It's not the right thing to do but for everyone, for all parts, it's a good deal. For Scott, he is happy with it. Of course, for Napoli, a very good player but also for us."

The Dutch tactician also talked about Jadon Sancho's links with Chelsea, saying he would happily keep the Englishman as he needed squad depth.

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We're really looking forward to competing with Liverpool: Manchester United manager Ten Hag

The Red Devils take on a resurgent Liverpool side on Sunday, September 1, in the Premier League. The Reds are among four clubs that have won both their first two league games in the English top flight this term.

Manchester United, however, lost to Brighton & Hove Albion in their last game and would want to return to winning ways before jetting off for the international break. When talking about the upcoming clash, the Dutch manager said that his players were looking forward to the game.

Here's what he said:

"We are really looking forward to competing with them. We have a good squad, we can bring a good team out. We have to improve, we have new players to integrate. We are looking forward to this game."

The former Ajax manager also spoke about Arne Slot's start to the Premier League with Liverpool. He said:

"The players, the partnerships, the relationships in that team are very clear, and he inherited that from the past years. But I have already seen some of the things that he has brought in."