Scott McTominay's new nickname speaks volumes as Erik ten Hag proven right

Scott McTominay is shining in Italy after leaving against former manager's will - earning himself a new nickname.

The Red Devils this summer, primarily due to the fact his £25.4million transfer fee acted as 'pure profit' in the eyes of financial regulators, helping the club balance their books after an expensive summer.

It was a on the back of such spending, coupled with , that saw Ten Hag - who "didn't want" to sell the Scotsman - sacked, and Sporting CP boss . However, as much as the Dutchman got things wrong at Old Trafford, perhaps a his was right.

McTominay has taken to Serie A like a duck to water, producing stellar performance after stellar performance for ex-Chelsea and boss Antonio Conte, earning him the nickname 'McTotally.'

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Prior to his nickname-earning exploits, McTominay was the subject of a telling comment from departed boss Ten Hag. He told reporters off the back of the midfielder's sale: "I’m very happy for Scott. As I said, when he left, I didn’t want this but that’s the rules the club had to deal with. The rules are, I would even say, bad, but that’s the situation created. It forced us to make this decision."

Fast-forward two months, and 'McTotally' has a goal and pair of assists to his name. More importantly, he has been the beating heart of a side that now top's Serie A by four points ahead of champions Inter.

The nickname is a nod to his relentless running and impressive skills both on and off the ball. He is seen as a player who can do it all in Italy, and his ability was on full display during the club's latest outing against AC Milan, reports .

With Stanislav Lobotka sidelined due to injury, former and ace Billy Gilmour once again partnered with McTominay in midfield for the pivotal clash, and the pair didn't disappoint.

The Scottish duo, alongside ex-Fulham man Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, impressed at the San Siro, and enabling Conte's side to defend their 2-0 first-half lead until the very end.

United's hierarchy may live to regret not listening to their manager - who was shown the exit door last week - but there are no regrets on McTominay's side. "The pride of playing here is really special and when I found out that Napoli was interested in me I felt the fire inside me," McTominay stated upon his arrival in Naples.

"I wanted to come here and push as much as possible because the fans are crazy, I would say they are some of the best fans I have ever seen. Incredible. I can’t talk enough about the fans, the people, the city and the welcome that my teammates and coaches gave me.

"My dream is to win the Scudetto with Napoli, to win trophies and be successful. I just want to do my best to help the team, fight for the future and push my career to the max."

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