Simon Jordan has labelled Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay as 'average' as he laughed off suggestions that Newcastle United would be improving their squad by signing the Scot.
Newcastle have the chance to overtake Man United in the Premier League should Eddie Howe's side claim all three points when the two sides meet on April 2 at St James' Park. The Magpies are one of a handful of teams competing for Champions League football next term and know that with just 12 games left to play their fate is still firmly in their hands.
Any form or European football next season will see Newcastle's squad depth tested and it is therefore unsurprising to hear the club linked with the likes of Kieran Tierney and McTominay. However, Jordan has now dismissed the notion that the Man United man could improve Howe's squad in any capacity.
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He told talkSPORT: "McTominay taking Newcastle to the next level? Well, what is the next level? So, they are going to take a player from a club who is competing in the same space as them, who they don’t think is good enough? How does that work then?
"[Newcastle] are competing with Manchester United. Very, very rarely do we see, at the top of the table, clubs selling players to one another. It happens now and again; [Dimitar] Berbatov and [Robin] Van Persie.
"But, in this instance, I am looking at it and saying: 'What is the next level?’, if Newcastle are competing for a Champions League space, they are going to be competing with Man United.
"So, for Newcastle to take a player from Man United – who Man United will only sell if they don’t think is good enough to be in their side – seems to be at odds with what [Newcastle] are trying to achieve.
"I think McTominay is alright. He’s a symptom of Man United going through a mediocre phase. I don’t think McTominay gets within a gnat’s hair of the elite Man United teams.
"Ultimately, he is a by-product of a very mediocre Man United period. He’s OK but he’s not a great player. I think he’s average."
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