Scott McTominay has been humorously labeled a ‘liability’ for Napoli in a specific off-field aspect, despite his outstanding performance on the pitch, as disclosed by one of his teammates.
McTominay transferred to Napoli from Manchester United during the summer for an estimated fee of £25.7 million. The decision to sell him elicited mixed reactions from United supporters, with then-manager Erik ten Hag reportedly eager to retain the Scottish player at Old Trafford.
At 28 years old, McTominay has excelled under Antonio Conte’s management in Italy, quickly establishing himself as a pivotal player for Napoli and even drawing comparisons to Diego Maradona regarding his influence.
This season, he has netted six goals in Serie A and contributed two assists, placing Napoli just three points behind league leaders Inter Milan after 30 matches.
The Naples club secured the Scudetto in 2023 but endured a disappointing 10th-place finish last season. McTominay has been instrumental in their resurgence as title contenders.
Towards the end of the summer transfer window, Conte concentrated on the English market to bolster his squad, bringing in McTominay’s former Manchester United teammate Romelu Lukaku on a permanent transfer from Chelsea. Additionally, he acquired McTominay’s international colleague Billy Gilmour from Brighton and Hove Albion.
Although Gilmour has experienced fluctuations in his playing time this season, he has started Napoli’s last four Serie A matches, assisting Lukaku in the recent 2-1 victory over AC Milan. In a conversation with The Athletic, Gilmour expressed the unique experience of playing alongside McTominay at Napoli, while also acknowledging that he can occasionally be perceived as ‘a bit of a liability’ in one particular off-field area.
“If you go out with Scott, it’s crazy,” he said, with the Scotsman then referring to what is described as his ‘distinctly northern European colouring’ and his height, stating that he ‘sticks out’.
But it was another international team-mate that he consulted before making the move to Napoli.
“I’m pretty close with Lewis [Ferguson, Bologna captain]. I followed him when he was at Bologna.
“Whenever I saw him with the national team, I’d ask him about Italy. I just wanted to hear it from a second source, really.”
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