'He dreams of...': Scott McTominay linked with Napoli exit amid club chief's 'difficult' transfer admission
The Scotland superstar has been tipped to return to his former club Manchester United.
Scotland talisman Scott McTominay has been tipped to make a shock return to the English Premier League, according to reports in Italy.
The 29-year-old Napoli midfielder has been a revelation at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium since opting to depart Manchester United 18 months ago in a reported £25 million move, winning the league title and being nominated for the Ballon d’Or after a breathtaking debut campaign in Italy.
Breaking Denis Law’s 63-year record for the most goals scored by a Scotsman in a single Serie A season last term, McTominay has continued his strong form in the Italian top flight this year and has already scored 10 goals in all competitions from midfield as Antonio Conte’s side chase a second successive Scudetto title.
However, doubt has been cast on the Scotland star’s future at the club after Napoli’s global business development officer Leonardo Giammarioli recently admitted concerns over whether the Italian giants will be able to hold onto the club’s top talents, such as McTominay, during an interview with TalkSPORT.
“Yeah, of course I’m worried,” said Giammarioli. “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, but when such an offer comes in [£65million from Newcastle United], there’s not much you can do, when the player wants to go and money is important. It's difficult for Italian teams; the Italian league continues to lose revenue.”
Following Giammarioli’s comment, Italian sports outlet Tutto Mercato claim that McTominay has one eye on a return to UK shores, and is hoping that a return to the English top flight comes “sooner rather than later.”
“Those who know him well explain that he’s happy in Naples,” wrote the Italian outlet . “He’s content with Napoli. But he also dreams of returning, sooner or later, to the [English] Premier League. Among the many teams reportedly ready to welcome him back to England, do you know who’s leading the way? Manchester United.”
Currently trailing league leader Inter Milan by nine points in third place, Conte’s side face AS Roma in the Serie A this weekend, and are hoping that McTominay can return to the starting XI, having missed their penalty shootout defeat to Como in the Coppa Italia quarter-final with a tendon injury.
“McTominay has been carrying this problem since the start of the year,” said Conte last week. “It gets inflamed around the tendon, every now and then it hurts and he has to play at a lower gear. He could’ve continued, but this is a player who I’d rather have at 100 per cent rather than take stupid risks.
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