Scott McTominay continues to shine for Napoli as Manchester United watch on
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Scott McTominay shows true colours after Manchester United transfer heartbreak as record set

28 Apr 2025, 15:34 by Isaac Seelochan · Manchester Evening News

Scott McTominay is enjoying a phenomenal season at Napoli and has set a notable record over the weekend.

No one at Old Trafford could have foreseen the impact McTominay would have in Naples. The Manchester United academy graduate has become a vital part of Napoli's Serie A title charge, with the Italian club now three points clear at the summit after Sunday's 2-0 win over Torino.

In his final few years at United, McTominay emerged as a significant goal threat, a trait that has only been amplified since his move to Napoli. The Scotsman had netted 12 goals in 32 appearances for Antonio Conte's side, with two of those coming on Sunday.

McTominay's brace against Torino has seen him set a new record for the most Italian top-flight goals scored by a Scot in a single season. The previous holder was Reds legend Denis Law, who scored 10 for Torino back in the early 1960s.

It's a remarkable transformation for someone who wasn't fully trusted to start regularly at United under Ruben Amorim's predecessor, Erik ten Hag.

Of course, PSR restraints played a key role in McTominay's £25.7million move last summer. His homegrown status forced United into the difficult decision of selling one of their own to earn pure profit on a sale.

The 28-year-old may have wanted to stay at M16 for his entire career, having risen through the club's academy. But PSR rules will have forced United's hand and his lack of game time under Ten Hag made that decision much easier. McTominay himself, however, has no regrets over leaving.

In an interview with The Times released in November, the Scotland international said: "Obviously it's a big decision, there's no denying that. It was a huge decision for me and my family and my friends.

"At times like that in your life you just have to say, 'Do I want to do it? Absolutely,' and go for it. There's no looking back. I've never had any regrets in my life or my career and I continue that way to this day.

"I want my career to be successful and I'm going to go out of my way to try and push myself to be the best football player and best person that I can possibly be."

Now, there is even talk that he could be crowned Serie A Player of the Year following his impact in Naples.

That was the topic of discussion in the CBS studio following his match-winning performance against Torino.

CBS pundit Marco Messina said: "Conte teams, usually with the three-man midfield, he allows those guys to go up and follow the runners. That's what Napoli needed. So what's impresses me so much is how decisive McTominay has been. Seven of those 11 goals have been at 0-0 so he's the difference-maker.

"My big fear when they lost Kvaratskhelia, when they lost Osimhen in the summer, I said, 'These are the guys that bailed them out in big moments. Who can be that player?' I'll be honest I didn't think McTominay could do that. I thought he could do well but not to this level. For me he stepped up as a leader within this squad."

Matteo Bonetti replied: "I like that you said that about the tactics because even going back to Conte's Juventus. Do you remember Arturo Vidal and Marchisio would get tonnes of goal, they had Pirlo sitting, that's like Lobotka, Pogba as well. But it was those four midfielders and two or three of them would be scoring a lot of goals. Like eight to 12 goals a season.

"So he's mastered getting these box-to-box guys, the No.8s, getting them in positions where they're constantly there, snooping around, receiving those balls into the box, so this is nothing new. He did this at Inter with a bit of a different strategy because there was much more of a long ball to Lukaku, it was a different Lukaku too, but the way he can get these midfielders to score goals, case in point McTominay, it's amazing."

For McTominay to have taken to Serie A so quickly and impressively following his departure from United is a testament to his quality.

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