Man Utd news: Michael Carrick makes rule change as door opened for Scott McTominay move

Manchester United's chances of linking back up with Scott McTominay appear to have changed just as things are taking a turn for the better under Michael Carrick

Michael Carrick is hard at work attempting to preserve and prolong his meteoric start as interim Manchester United manager. And the Red Devils play host to Tottenham in Saturday's early Premier League kick-off, hoping to make it four wins from four under the club icon.

Whatever Carrick has been doing at his old stomping ground thus far, it's working. Despite being at the club on temporary terms as things stand, the 44-year-old hasn't been afraid to tear up trees in an effort to put his old side back on top of the English pyramid.

United had a quiet January transfer window, where the only business to speak of was through the departures. That bodes well in terms of a bigger budget to spend in the summer, however, at which point it may be Carrick making the decisions on a longer-term basis.

Scott McTominay is one such name being linked with a move to Old Trafford as talk of a reunion escalates. And the latest development from Naples could aid United's advances as Mirror Football breaks down the latest news around the Theatre of Dreams.

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Napoli stance on McTominay sale

Recent examples of players returning to Old Trafford after long stints away haven't fallen in their favour over recent years. Expensive moves to bring the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba back to the club ultimately failed to live up to expectations.

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But many fans will hope McTominay could buck that trend in the event United come back in for their academy graduate in future. To that effect, recent comments made by Napoli’s global business development officer, Leonardo Giammarioli, suggest the transfer can be done for the right price.

"Yeah, of course I’m worried," he told talkSPORT when discussing the prospect of McTominay leaving should a suitable offer come in. "But ultimately, especially Scott, who’s a very nice guy, we’re happy if he gets to the next level in a couple of years. Maybe not now, maybe not next year, but he deserves it.

"Look at Stuttgart, they wanted to keep Nick Woltemade [before he joined Newcastle last summer], but when such an offer comes in, there’s not much you can do, when the player wants to go and money is important."

It's common knowledge by now that Napoli got themselves a serious bargain after acquiring the Scot for around £25million in the summer of 2024. Many suggested at the time the player was underrated, and then-manager Erik ten Hag even confessed he didn't want to sell his star.

One Serie A title and a Player of the Year award later, McTominay is one of the most valuable assets in Italy's top flight. Again, United would be forced to pay a premium for a player they may well regret selling in the first place, but the need to replace the outgoing Casemiro - and potentially Bruno Fernandes, too - could make him a sensible summer target.

Carrick overrules Amorim and Ten Hag

One thing that's been clear early on in Carrick's reign is that he's not worried about upsetting the status quo. And that goes just as much for established traditions at United, as well as something as ordinary as tactical tweaks.

The ex-England midfielder has already ditched Ruben Amorim's three-at-the-back formation in favour of a more standard set-up. He's also brought Kobbie Mainoo in from his exile and found success switching left-back Patrick Dorgu into a more advanced role.

However, it's now emerged Carrick has done away with Amorim and Ten Hag's practice of making players train the day after matches, per the Sun. Both his predecessors favoured the habit of making the squad attend recovery sessions the day after playing - but no more.

Instead, Carrick has altered the schedule so that United's players undergo their recovery sessions two days after playing. And it's but the latest example of Carrick's more humane touch, giving his stars a more relaxed working atmosphere, at least in one way.

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