Roy Keane’s Not Good Enough Quartet: Three Departures and One in Limbo
Roy Keane called it early and he called it brutally. Now, Manchester United’s squad list reads like a quiet vindication of his rage.
Of the four players he publicly tore into as “not good enough” for United – Scott McTominay, Fred, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee – three have already walked out of Old Trafford. Only Zirkzee remains, and even he is edging towards the exit.
Keane’s blast that set the tone
The story starts in August 2022, on a sour afternoon against Brighton. Erik ten Hag’s first Premier League game in charge ended in a 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford, and the midfield of McTominay and Fred took the brunt of the backlash.
Keane, never one to spare feelings, went on Sky Sports and ripped into the pair.
“The decision-making and the football intelligence, in particular from Fred – and I’ve said this for a long time – Fred and McTominay are not good enough,” he said. “They won’t get Manchester United back competing at the top. We see it week in, week out. [They are] not up to it.”
It sounded harsh. It also hung over them.
Fast forward to April 2025. Different manager, same fury. Under Ruben Amorim, United ground out a drab 0-0 draw with Manchester City. The game drifted, the forwards misfired, and Keane’s attention switched to the front line – this time, Hojlund and Zirkzee.
“Manchester United can still be more of a goal threat,” he said on Sky Sports. “The couple of strikers United have at the club are not good enough for United, but there are other players on the team.
“I’m not saying they all have to be like that – but they have experienced players there. Maguire, Casemiro, Fernandes – do they get a grip of these players?”
The theme was clear: in Keane’s eyes, United’s spine simply didn’t meet the standard.
McTominay: From academy kid to Serie A player of the year
McTominay, the boy who joined United at five and grew into a senior regular, chose a clean break in the summer of 2024. Napoli paid £25 million and took a gamble that he could be more than a squad option.
He delivered.
By the end of his first season in Italy, the Scot had been named Serie A player of the year. Under Antonio Conte, he became a driving force in midfield as Napoli surged to the Scudetto. The narrative flipped: the player Keane said would never take United back to the top helped drag another giant there instead.
Last season, Napoli couldn’t quite repeat the feat, finishing second behind Inter Milan. They still lifted the Supercoppa Italiana, and McTominay’s reputation continued to grow far from Old Trafford’s glare.
Fred: A fresh start and silverware in Turkey
Fred’s United career always felt like a debate. Signed from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018 for £47m, he divided opinion but kept getting picked. He did win a trophy, helping United to the League Cup in 2023.
Keane’s criticism landed a year before his departure, but the Brazil international stayed involved until August 2023, when he left for Fenerbahce.
In Turkey, the noise around him quietened. The minutes didn’t. Fred became a fixture at Fenerbahce, a constant presence across three seasons and part of the side that lifted the Turkish Super Cup in 2025. No drama, no weekly inquests – just a solid career rebuilt away from the Premier League spotlight.
Hojlund: Big fee, big pressure, mixed legacy
Rasmus Hojlund arrived at United in July 2023 as the great attacking hope. The club paid an initial £64m to prise him from Atalanta, a price tag that weighed heavily almost from day one.
He never fully shook it off. Across 95 appearances in all competitions, the Dane scored 26 goals. There were bursts of promise, a few purple patches, and an FA Cup win in 2024. But the numbers never quite matched the expectation that came with the fee and the role.
By September 2025, United were ready to move on. Hojlund joined Napoli on loan, then made the switch permanent this summer for around £38m. In his first season in Italy, he hit 16 goals and collected the Supercoppa Italiana, hinting at the player many expected to see in Manchester.
This summer has been tougher. Pre-season with Napoli has been underwhelming, his impact limited. The question lingers: did United give up too early, or did they simply cut their losses at the right time?
Zirkzee: The last man standing – for now
That leaves Joshua Zirkzee, the final name on Keane’s hit list and the only one still officially on United’s books.
His United career has never really caught fire. Signed for £36.5m in 2024, the Dutch forward has struggled to nail down a starting place. Nine goals in 75 appearances tell their own story. The talent is there, but the end product has rarely matched the flashes.
Competition has only intensified. Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo have all been trusted with more minutes in the forward line, pushing Zirkzee further down the pecking order and squeezing his opportunities.
Now, a familiar escape route opens up: Serie A. According to Sky Sport Italia, Juventus want him on a season-long loan and the 25-year-old has already given the move the green light. A fresh league, a fresh role, and possibly the fresh start he needs.
The clock is ticking towards the September 1 transfer deadline. Three of Keane’s “not good enough” quartet have already rebuilt their careers elsewhere. If Zirkzee follows them out of Old Trafford, the pundit’s old rant will sit there, replayed and re-examined, against a very simple question: did he just voice the obvious, or did his words foreshadow a clear-out United were always going to make?
