“He Is Not Going To Leave The Club Any More,” – Mourinho Backs Academy Midfielder To Succeed At United

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Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has backed midfielder Scott McTominay and claims that 20-year-old does have a long-term future at the club.

The Portuguese manager is adamant not to lose United’s academy graduates and thinks that McTominay will shine in the first team colours just like his fellow mates, Jese Lingard and Marcus Rashford.

In an exclusive interview with the Mirror, Mourinho said that he is having the same opportunities with McTominay that United’s former manager Louis Van Gaal had with Marcus Rashford a few seasons ago.

“I think what is happening with (Jesse) Lingard and (Marcus) Rashford is now happening with Scott McTominay… because he is not going to leave the club anymore,” said Mourinho.

“To follow a certain pathway is important. I am doing it with McTominay. Mr Van Gaal had the start of Rashford, I am having it with Scott McTominay and, next year, there should be another.”

The Portuguese added, “I don’t want to be the one that breaks that and I think the next United manager – it doesn’t matter when he comes – should also try not to break it,

“It is more difficult now than it was before, but I think it is good. I feel it like a way to keep a certain identity of the club. To keep that identity means, basically, we should bring a new player from the academy every season.

“You can bring someone to play 10 minutes, then the player disappears and then you can say, ‘Oh, 40 players have their debut with me’. But none of them are important. When I say ‘bring’, I mean (for them) to stay.”

But what is intriguing is the fact that Mourinho said similar kinds of statements for Brazilian Andreas Pereira but up until now all that the player has done is move around on various loan spell. Currently, Pereira is out on loan to Spanish side Valencia and is far off from getting a first team call-up.

Will Mctominay suffer the same fate?

Read: Man Utd planning a January swoop for Valencia midfielder.

Read: Man Utd in pursuit of 21-year-old Bilbao star?