Serie A club Napoli have reached an agreement with Manchester United to sign Scotland international midfielder Scott McTominay in a £25 million deal, according to The Athletic journalist David Ornstein.
The Red Devils would also receive a share of any future sale of their academy graduate, but Napoli now have to secure personal terms with the 27-year-old for the move to go through.
McTominay has just a year left on his current Man United contract, but the Old Trafford club have an option to extend by 12 months, and both parties also have to hold talks to finalise the terms of his exit.
Manager Erik ten Hag would love to hold on to the midfielder, insisting last month that he does not want him to leave.
However, Man United have to balance the books and sell having spent £155m so far this summer if they want to make further recruitment, and cashing in on McTominay represents pure profit when it comes to Financial Fair Play and complying with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
The Red Devils want to buy Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte, and the sale of McTominay would come in handy in their bid to land the Uruguay international.
He featured in the Community Shield against Manchester City and also came off the bench against Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion, but it appears he has already played his last game for his childhood club as hinted at yesterday.
The versatile McTominay contributed to eight goals in the Premier League last term, helping Man United secure 12 extra points, but they are willing to sell him to make room for further additions, and his 22-year association with the club could be ending in a matter of days.
The midfielder is not the only player likely to leave the Theatre of Dreams in the final week of the summer transfer window, with the future of Jadon Sancho at Man United also uncertain after he was left out of the last two matchday squads.