From Manchester United misfit to Napoli's hero: Scott McTominay's stunning Serie A transformation

Scott McTominay shines in debut Serie A season, leading Napoli to the league title and earning fan hero status in Naples.

Scott McTominay has gone from the fringes at Manchester United to the forefront of Italian football, playing a starring role in Napoli's triumphant Serie A campaign under manager Antonio Conte.

The Scotland international, who spent eight seasons at Old Trafford winning just an FA Cup and a League Cup, has quickly become a fan favourite and midfield general in Naples. McTominay played a pivotal role in Napoli’s charge to the league title, registering 13 goals and four assists across all competitions in what many are calling a player-of-the-season calibre debut.

The 28-year-old’s move to Italy has marked a personal and professional renaissance, with McTominay finally enjoying the seniority and central role he was never granted at United.

A seasoned performer for Scotland, McTominay joined Napoli on deadline day last summer alongside Romelu Lukaku and fellow Scot Billy Gilmour. The transfer came in the wake of a disastrous 3-0 loss to Verona in their season opener. By October, however, Napoli had climbed to the top of the league, mounting a fierce three-way title challenge with Inter Milan and Atalanta—thanks in no small part to McTominay’s commanding performances.

McTominay On Embracing Italian Life

In an interview with DAZN, McTominay expressed his affection for his new surroundings: "It's a beautiful country, it's actually somewhere where I've not been throughout my life, which is surprising because I love the culture here, I love the food, I love the way the people are, they're so welcoming," he said.

"It's got so many amazing different cities, obviously, Naples for me being the number one. Being able to experience all that with the people here is incredible.

"Hopefully the people can see that I'm giving my all every time I go on the pitch. That's all you can do as a football player."

McTominay: A Fan Favourite in Record Time

Affectionately dubbed “McFratm” — meaning “McBrother” or “McBro” in Neapolitan — by local teammate Pasquale Mazzocchi, McTominay has embraced his status as a beloved figure. He even prefers the nickname to others he’s picked up over his career, like “McTerminator” or “MacGyver”.

McTominay’s connection with Napoli supporters was immediate. On arrival at Naples’ Capodichino airport, he was greeted by hundreds of fans in a vibrant and traditional welcome for the club’s newest signing. Within weeks, supporters began calling him “Braveheart”, and by autumn, he was immortalised in a street mural — an honour usually reserved for club legends, most famously Diego Maradona.

In helping deliver another Scudetto to the city, McTominay has etched his name into Napoli folklore, proving he can be the main man — just not in Manchester, but in Naples.