Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said it is ‘beyond’ him how Manchester United could sell a star that has gone onto enjoy success since leaving the club in the summer.
It has been another tough season for United, who are currently down in 15th in the Premier League table, struggling for form under both former boss Erik ten Hag and current head coach Ruben Amorim.
They could yet win the Europa League, having won 3-0 in the first leg of their semi-final clash with Athletic Bilbao, but former captain Harry Maguire has admitted the trophy will not save their season.
It is set to be a summer of rebuild again for the club, who have signed only Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven under the reign of Amorim, but spent nearly £200million last summer.
They also sold players in the summer transfer window, with some going onto enjoy success elsewhere – including one man who was a somewhat cult hero at United, having been at the club from a young age.
And former Red Devils manager and player Solskjaer has questioned why he was let go in the summer – four years after he himself departed the Red Devils.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said Man United’s summer decision to sell one of his former stars is ‘beyond’ him
The star in question is Scott McTominay, who was a pivotal part of Solskjaer’s time at United
He was sold to Napoli in the summer and is part of their bid to win the Serie A title this term
‘Scott [McTominay] and Fred together, they were lads you would put your hat on every day to give 100 per cent,’ Solskjaer, who is now in charge of Besiktas in Turkey, told BBC Sport.
‘How you can sell Scott is beyond me.’
McTominay was a key player during Solskjaer’s reign at Old Trafford, often part of a midfield axis alongside Brazilian midfield Fred – the duo nicknamed ‘McFred’ by a number of United fans.
In total, he played 255 times for the Red Devils, but never appeared to truly win over fans or nail down a settled place in the team before leaving for Napoli in the summer for a £26million fee.
He has gone onto enjoy a successful season for the Serie A leaders, netting 12 times in 33 games under Antonio Conte and becoming a fan favourite at the club as they chase the league title.
Fred, often alongside the Scot, played 213 times for United between 2018 and 2023 before departing for Turkey and Fenerbahce, where he now played under former United boss Jose Mourinho – the side Solskjaer and Besiktas face this weekend.
He, though, too never really won over the majority of fans at Old Trafford, with the likes of Manuel Ugarte, Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes often lining up in deeper midfield roles in the current team.
Fernandes is one of the players who has reached out to the baby-faced assassin since he left United, it has been revealed, with Solskjaer praising the current United skipper’s leadership – despite opting for Harry Maguire to be his captain instead during his own reign.
United spent nearly £200million last summer and could spent big again at the end of this year
Solskjaer also revealed that he has only spoke to three Untied players past or present since he left the club
One of those players is Harry Maguire, who was the former forward’s captain while he was in charge at Old Trafford
Bruno Fernandes (right) and Victor Lindelof also reached out to the current Besiktas boss
Solskjaer will do battle against Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in league action this weekend
‘For me, Harry [Maguire] has always been a leader and a fighter,’ Solskjaer said. ‘I was never in doubt when I signed him and he walked in the door he would be captain for us.
‘There is another captain there in Bruno. The two of them are top human beings. I was so happy for them last night [versus Bilbao].
‘Those two and Victor [Lindelof] are probably the only ones I have heard from in the club since I left. You want the best for them.’
Solskjaer has led Besiktas to fourth in the Turkish Super Lig table, though they will go third with a win over Fenerbahce. He has led his side in 12 league matches since taking over in January, winning six of them.
