Scott McTominay was swarmed by Napoli fans as he arrived in Naples this weekend, ahead of his proposed £25 million from Manchester United move to Serie A.
The Scottish international is ending a 22-year association with the Old Trafford club, during which time he has represented them at youth level and made over 250 first team appearances.
However, he always divided opinion in Manchester, as while he was often heralded by managers, he failed to convince a large percentage of fans of his worth. But how will he fare in Serie A, and what can Neopolitans expect from the midfielder?
Why have Napoli Signed McTominay?
Even if you’re a sports betting enthusiast or fan of the latest 1win bonuses and promo codes, you would have got long odds in McTominay moving to Napoli this summer. Sure, he has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford for a while, but previously only EPL clubs like West Ham and Fulham have been interested.
However, the decision to appoint Antonio Conte as Napoli boss has changed the landscape considerably. After all, the pragmatic Italian coach is known to prefer a solid, energetic midfield, which creates a base from which his attacking players and wing backs can operate freely.
In the recent 3-0 win over Bologna (which was Conte’s first victory since arriving in Naples), Napoli adopted the manager’s preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. This saw Frank Anguissa and Stanislav Lobotka paired in central midfield, with these two players tasked with covering huge swathes of ground and providing an immense physical presence.
This is where McTominay comes in. He provides a similar profile and depth in the middle of the park, while he has a renowned mentality and years of experience at a top club. Even more crucially, he contributes goals from midfield, with an unerring knack of arriving late in the box and converting chances.
Will McTominay Succeed in Naples?
The 27-year-old McTominay is also entering his peak years as a professional, and his reputation as a physically fit and consistent midfielder explains just why he’s so popular with managers.
Jose Mourinho lauded McTominay having given him his debut, while both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick utilised his energy and work-rate despite their differing footballing philosophies.
Even Erik ten Hag has made good use of McTominay, who scored 10 goals in 43 games last season in a more advanced midfield role. However, he was deemed ill-suited to the Dutchman’s preferred passing game, with the Scott only averaging 20.09 passes per 90 last season and struggling to involve himself in attacking phases of the game.
However, he’s ideally suited to Conte’s philosophy, with the former Chelsea boss favouring physical strength and energy over technical ability in the middle of the park.
In fact, he may well deploy McTominay in the same way that he used N’Golo Kante during the Blues’ title winning campaign in 2016/17, as the Scot is tasked with recovering balls in the middle and attacking thirds and initiating transitions.
In this respect, McTominay has every chance of succeeding in Naples and becoming a firm fan favourite for the fans of the Azzurri.