Erik ten Hag breaks silence on Man Utd sacking and accuses INEOS of breaking promise that left him 'very embarrassed'

In a rare interview about his time at Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag has admitted he was left "very embarrassed" and "disappointed" after the club sold Scott McTominay.

Ten Hag, who took charge of United in 2022, was sacked by INEOS chiefs in October 2024 after a poor run of results that featured just three wins from their opening nine Premier League games.

The Dutchman was "completely devastated" by United's decision to dismiss him, according to former teammate and close friend Hans Kraay Jr, who made the comments shortly after Ten Hag's dismissal.

READ MORE: Erik ten Hag told Man Utd player he didn't want him before blocking transfer

Erik Ten Hag claims INEOS broke promise over Scott McTominay transfer

Ten Hag has barely commented on his United spell in a public setting but on Tuesday, an interview he conducted with The Athletic was published.

Here, the 56-year-old spoke about INEOS' decision to trigger an additional one-year option in his contract, just weeks after United overcame the odds to beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

“I wouldn’t go on with only one year left,” said Ten Hag, who held talks with officials during a holiday in Ibiza.

“So I said, ‘I need an extra year and we have to do it together’. They promised me loyalty, they promised me backing, they promised communication, that we get aligned. We spoke about the issues. But the promises, they didn’t keep.”

Ten Hag went on to highlight the sale of Scott McTominay to Napoli for £25.7 million in the summer of 2024 as an example of a promise he claims was broken.

“That’s why I got disappointed,” Ten Hag added. “In Ibiza, we agreed. I said, ‘No selling Scott McTominay’. We would go aligned in the transfer window. I make an argument, a reason: we don’t have scoring abilities.

"Scott brings scoring abilities and great mentality. He has United in all his veins. So when they bring up the subject, ‘No’. And in the end they sold him. I got, of course, very embarrassed and disappointed.”

Ten Hag celebrates FA Cup win with Scott McTominay. Image credit: Getty

At the time, Ten Hag expressed his disappointment over the transfer, admitting he would have "preferred not to lose" McTominay.

What Scott McTominay said to Erik ten Hag before leaving Manchester United

Speaking in the months after his United departure, McTominay revealed what he said to Erik ten Hag on his last day at Carrington.

"On my last day, I had to go and see everyone and it was not easy to say goodbye. But that's football. That's the life," he told BBC Scotland.

"I spoke to him [Ten Hag]. He expressed his thoughts on the situation. I said, 'Listen, it's my career, I am here to push myself on'.

"In this situation, I have to look out for number one and go with my gut feeling of what I want to do in my career and not be held back by any other external factors. It was amicable.

"I love that football club to bits, they have been my life for 22 years, but I have moved on now. I am thoroughly enjoying myself here."

McTominay added: "It was a big decision, but in some ways it was quite straightforward. I saw the passionate fans, I saw the coach, I saw the players and I saw an opportunity. I took it. I didn't look back.

"It didn't take me long to make the decision because I knew that was what I wanted and I'll never have any regrets in my life. As soon as I put my mind to something I want to do it, that's it. There's no holding me back."