Scott McTominay explains why he isn't changing his Man Utd shirt number
Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has said he has no intention of changing the number 39 shirt he wears for the club, even though the Scotland international has been an established first-team player for several years.
Number 39 was what McTominay was assigned when he first made his senior breakthrough under the management of Jose Mourinho in 2017 and he has stuck with it ever since.
McTominay was given a more prominent and regular role by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer during the 2019/20 season and then went on to play 49 times in all competitions during the 2020/21 campaign, scoring seven goals in the process.
But while many home-grown players will usually trade their early high shirt numbers for lower digits more typically associated with the first-team, such as Marcus Rashford going from 39 to 19 to 10 within a few years, others may form a sentimental attachment to the first shirt they wear.
McTominay appears to be the in the latter category.
Number 16 is a shirt that would be available to McTominay next season following the February departure of Marcos Rojo. It is a jersey that has significant meaning at Old Trafford as it has previously been worn with distinction by both Roy Keane and Michael Carrick.
McTominay would no doubt do it justice as United’s latest all-action midfielder, but he is perfectly happy to stick with 39 because of what it has come to mean to him personally.
“Number 39 obviously is special, when you first get your number,” the 24-year-old said, via ManUtd.com. “Nobody has ever said change your number – there’s not been a single conversation about changing my number. Not three years, two years or a year ago.
“Nothing has ever been said about it. I’m perfectly fine with that. I’ve never even asked myself and never thought or brought it up in conversation to change my number. I’m perfectly fine, so 39. I see 39 everywhere now, I can’t get it out of my head!”
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