Scott McTominay’s Manchester United exit has taken his career to new heights. Despite that, criticism for the midfielder is emerging in Naples.
The Scotland international has won the Scudetto with the Partenopei, guiding them back to the Champions League last season.
He recently underwent minor heart surgery, which kept him out for several weeks. The ex-Manchester United is nearing a return to action but this comes at a point when talk around a renewal is growing.
There is frustration that a new deal hasn’t been signed and this is impacting the player’s perception in Italy. The media around Naples can be emotional to say the least.
Belief player too big for his boots
Journalist Paolo Esposito posted a message about the midfielder, reminding McTominay about Napoli’s importance in his career.
He wrote – via AreaNapoli: “Too much praise in Naples for this Scot! He’s gotten too big for it, and now he’s asking for £9m to renew his contract. Have you already forgotten that you’ve become someone, an important player in Naples and with Napoli!”
Esposito sent a dig to the Scotland international for being a substitute during his Manchester United spell
“Dear Scott McTominay? In Manchester, at United, you were a supporting player, a reserve, a substitute.”
The journalist also expressed his belief that praise for the player has become too much.
“While it is legitimate for the Azzurri supporters and the media to praise and extol midfielder Scott McTominay, Napoli should not have exaggerated with the praise.”
“A huge mistake was made and these are the consequences in terms of money and new contract.”
| Scott McTominay — Napoli, all competitions | 2024/25 | 2025/26 | 2026/27 so far | Napoli total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 36 | 44 | 2 | 82 |
| Starts | 33 | 41 | 2 | 76 |
| Minutes played | 2,972 | 3,701 | 146 | 6,819 |
| Goals | 13 | 14 | 0 | 27 |
| Assists | 4 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| Goal contributions | 17 | 17 | 0 | 34 |
| Minutes per goal | 229 | 264 | — | 253 |
Bitterness over new deal
Clearly, frustrations are growing over McTominay’s long-term stay and Esposito is simply being emotional about it. He has demanded a massive wage, which Napoli usually don’t pay.
At the same time, several players have left the Partenopei on rather ugly terms, even if they had a special relationship with the club. This is true for not just Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but also for Marek Hamsik and Diego Maradona.
It won’t be a surprise if the same happens for McTominay, even if it will be very unfortunate.
