McTominay backed for reunion with former Manchester United mentor.
Scotland talisman Scott McTominay has been backed to make a major impact at Real Madrid, with the La Liga giants urged to consider a January move after their sticky start to the new La Liga season.
McTominay, 29, has been linked with a move to the Bernabeu in recent weeks, with his former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho reportedly making tentative enquiries about the availability of the Napoli star, who has just under two years to run on his current deal at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
A revelation in Serie A since swapping Old Trafford for the west coast of Italy, he won the league title in his debut season and was named the league’s most valuable player. He later became the first Scottish player to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or since 1985, and has even been immortalised on murals in Naples.
However, reports in Italy earlier this month claimed Real Madrid had sounded out a January transfer after a patchy start to the new campaign. Already enjoying a strong relationship with McTominay, it was Mourinho who gave him his senior debut at Manchester United during the pair’s time at the club.
After going six points behind Barcelona in the race for the La Liga title, the Portuguese boss has been told that signing McTominay will add a new dimension to his midfield alongside Jude Bellingham by ex-Manchester United striker Louis Saha.
“Scott McTominay leaving Manchester United is in the past, but he's a terrific player who wasn't fully appreciated there,” said Saha. “United failed to maximize his potential, which has been a recurring mistake for the club down the years. He has the calibre to play anywhere, including Real Madrid, and pairing him with Jude Bellingham would be fascinating. They share similar dynamic profiles, and McTominay has proven his value at the highest level, it would be great for Scotland also.”
McTominay, who missed last month’s Nations League fixture after undergoing minor heart surgery, returned to the Napoli side in their 3-1 Champions League defeat to Villarreal last week, before playing 90 minutes in Saturday’s shock 1-0 defeat away to Venezia. Speaking about his future after the game, sporting director Giovanni Manna insisted the club want to extend his stay in Naples.
“We’re working on it,” he said. “He has a two-year contract, he wants to stay and we want him to stay too. We hope to find a solution that makes both us and the player happy. He’s an important player for us, probably the most important player we have given what he’s achieved over the last two years.”