McTominay eyes Prem return? Man Utd’s biggest transfer blunder MUST ignore bizarre Napoli exit voices | OneFootball

The form of Scott McTominay at Napoli has become an embarrassment for Manchester United after their decision to sell the midfielder in August 2024 – but should he be seeking a Premier League return?

McTominay was named the best player in Serie A during his debut season with Napoli, helping them to the title for only the fourth time in their history. Meanwhile, things went from bad to worse for his former club Man Utd, who finished in the bottom half of the Premier League and failed to qualify for Europe.

One of United’s main priorities in the transfer market in 2026 is to strengthen in midfield. Joining the dots, it would be easy to ask if they should have just kept McTominay.

Now, talk of a Premier League return has surfaced for McTominay – but for a rare reason.

According to The Sun, McTominay is struggling to deal with the attention he gets off the field as a result of how enamoured Napoli fans have become with him.

A source of the paper said: “Scott loves elements of Italian life and had a wonderful first season. But the passion of the fans can be a blessing but also make things difficult.

“He is treated as a god over there but it means he finds it difficult to do simple things when he’s not training. The attention can be suffocating.”

That has led to the suggestion that McTominay could be eyeing a Premier League return. But he should be careful what he wishes for.

McTominay was harshly judged during his Man Utd days. Especially when part of a holding-midfield pair with Fred, there were accusations that not enough was being offered in the position.

Even in his final season with United, scoring more than ever before in a single season, McTominay didn’t win all of his doubters over and it led to his departure.

McTominay best off at Napoli

At Napoli, he has thrived – and the attention he has gained must have been a major confidence booster.

Is he the best player technically in Serie A? No. Was he one of the most influential and in the best form last season? Yes.

And he showed he is preserving his levels with a sublime finish in Napoli’s 3-1 win over Inter on Saturday – a game in which summer signing Kevin de Bruyne suffered an injury that could sharpen the focus on McTominay’s influence from his best, central position (he has at times been shifted to the left to make room for the former Manchester City playmaker so far) over the next few games.

Football is a harsh landscape, where everyone is a critic. McTominay is a good enough player to feature for a top-half Premier League club, but not everyone might notice that.

Some have knocked his achievements in Serie A by discrediting the level of competition, but there are counter-examples of players who’ve done better in the Premier League than Serie A as well.

But is it worth trading the adulation he gains in Italy for more scrutiny back in England?

Only time will tell if any clubs show interest in signing McTominay. But he still has a contract in Naples until 2028. He’ll be in his thirties by then. This could be the club where he defines his career.

The personal factors that may be clouding his Napoli experience at the moment can’t be ignored, of course. If it is too much to handle, then fair enough.

But a player only gets one career. And when you find yourself at a club where you’re loved, that should be where you settle.

McTominay’s fellow ex-United player Chris Smalling gained rapturous receptions on loan at Roma in 2019-20, before making the move permanent and staying for another four years.

David de Gea has been decent for Fiorentina – certainly of a high enough standard to make it baffling that he had a year out of the game.

Either of those players could have argued they’d shown they were worthy of proving themselves in the Premier League again, but they chose different routes. And because of that, they can look at their career twilights as successful periods.

Italian football and the enthusiasm around it is crazy. McTominay has embraced it – and should continue to do so.