Peter Schmeichel names two players Manchester United should ‘never’ have sold

Peter Schmeichel has named two players Manchester United should ‘never’ have sold.

The Red Devils have been widely criticised for their transfer business since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, both in terms of incomings and outgoings.

A number of expensive signings have flopped, including Antony – the club’s second-most expensive purchase of all time – Jadon Sancho and Romelu Lukaku.

But United’s business in terms of player sales has also been poor, with several players leaving the club only to thrive elsewhere.

Scott McTominay helped Napoli win the Serie A title last season and his form in Naples earned him a nomination for the Ballon d’Or award.

Schmeichel remains baffled by Manchester United’s decision to sell McTominay, who left for £25m, and was also ‘pained’ by Rasmus Hojlund’s exit.

Hojlund has joined McTominay in Napoli on loan and will make a permanent move to Italy next summer if certain conditions are met.

The 22-year-old took just 14 minutes to open his account for Napoli and Schmeichel ‘honestly believes’ he could have been a top striker for United.

‘I’d say Scott McTominay and Rasmus Hojlund are the two players who should never have left,’ the Manchester United legend told Sky Bet.

‘With Antony, it’s different. He was never good enough for United. Yes, he scored on his debut, but very quickly you could see he didn’t have what it takes for the Premier League.

‘In Holland, playing in a dominant team, he looked good. But at United, the pace is relentless from the first minute to the last, the pressure is constant, and every opponent raises their game.

‘To succeed here, you need something extra, and he didn’t have it. He’s moved on, and we wish him well.

‘The one that really pains me is Hojlund. I honestly believe he could have been a 25-goal-a-season striker for Manchester United.

‘The problem wasn’t him – it was the way the team played. The system didn’t suit him. When players like [Alejandro] Garnacho or [Marcus] Rashford got the ball, they looked only to shoot.

‘The ball into the number nine never came, even though Rasmus was making really good runs. The fans saw it. They loved him because he fought, he ran, he gave everything, and he had to play every game because there were no other strikers.

‘Of course, when you don’t score as a striker, people point to it again and again. But what more could he do without service?

‘I’ve seen what he can do when he’s on form and gets the right service. That’s why I’m glad it’s only a loan.

‘I hope he scores 25 goals, and that people at Old Trafford are then thinking: “We have to bring him back”.

‘With [Matheus] Cunha and [Bryan] Mbeumo now providing service, and Bruno [Fernandes] playing further up the pitch, I still believe he could be a fantastic striker for Manchester United.

‘He’s already scored after just 30 minutes for Napoli, which shows his quality. He’s still our player, and that’s the positive.

‘As for McTominay, I honestly can’t say anything other than: why? Why was he allowed to leave?’

Another player who has recently left Manchester United is Andre Onana but Schmeichel supports the decision to offload the Cameroon international.

Onana made a number of high-profile mistakes last season and United sent him on loan to Trabzonspor after signing Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp.

‘Unfortunately for Andre Onana, the mistakes came very early – in the Champions League game against Bayern Munich, and then again against FC Copenhagen,’ Schmeichel added.

‘Yes, he saved that penalty in stoppage time of the home game, but overall, his mistakes were piling up.

‘And once that happens, you have to understand what it means at Manchester United. The pressure it puts on you as an individual, and on your teammates, is relentless.

‘At another club outside the top four – maybe anywhere apart from Liverpool – those errors wouldn’t be talked about for weeks on end.

‘But at United, every single mistake from a goalkeeper is highlighted again and again. You lose confidence, and once that goes, it’s very difficult to come back from that.

‘In the end, he’s left the club. He came in, he tried, he stayed positive, but it didn’t work out. And like others before him, he moves on, and the club moves on.’

Manchester United, sitting 14th in the Premier League after four games, welcome Chelsea to Old Trafford this weekend.

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