Manchester United sporting director Dan Ashworth has admitted that while the club has to make “brave decisions” such as the sale of academy products to remain compliant with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules, parting ways with Scott McTominay this summer was not purely because of that.
McTominay was officially unveiled as a Napoli player on deadline day, ending his association of over 20 years with United.
It’s believed that United and Antonio Conte’s side agreed a fee in the region of £25 million for the Scotland international.
There was some speculation that McTominay’s sale may have been motivated by the pressures brought about by PSR.
Under PSR, the sale of academy graduates is recorded as pure profit on a club’s books. As a result, a number of Premier League outfits have looked at homegrown players as a source of revenue to help them limit financial losses.
However, according to Ashworth, McTominay demonstrated a desire to leave Old Trafford in search of regular playing time.
In a sit-down with reporters, Ashworth said, “The reason you have to make brave decisions is because of the changes in the rules and regulations. You have to generate some money in to be able to spend that money back out as well — from a player trading point of view as well as from a commercial perspective.”
“So what I think you have changed is the number of players that will be one-club players, there for a long, long period of time. That’s an unintended consequence of the rules and regulations.”
On whether he’d like the rules changed, the United sporting director replied, “One thing we’re forgetting is the player’s wishes as well. Scott’s been fairly open that maybe he needed a change. He’s been in Manchester United for 21 years. He’s been a brilliant servant. But sometimes in life you fancy something different.”
“So we have to respect what those human beings want for their career and their life. And if all three are right, it’s right for us, it’s right for them, it’s right for the club they’re going to, then you have to look at it.”
“I don’t want to sit here and say no player is going to be a one-club person again. But the rules have, as an unintended consequence, made it slightly more attractive to sell players with a zero-book value, which is consequently either players you sign on a free or players that come through your system.”
Ashworth was accompanied by chief executive Omar Berrada in the interview.
Berrada remarked, “Just to add to that, the fundamental principle of the rules we are in favour of: which is that we need to operate sustainably. And in order to do that, it’s obviously taking good football decisions ins and outs, developing academy players that can contribute to the first team. It’s also managing a good business.”
“Growing your revenues, managing your costs properly. So all of that plays into it. And we’re all fundamentally in favour of that.”
United return to action after the international break when they meet Southampton at St Mary’s.
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