Scott McTominay has also joined the club.
According to British media outlet Goal.com on the 22nd (Korea time), "Saudi Al Hilal wants McTominay! They are targeting the acquisition of McTominay, who led Napoli to the Serie A title and received the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. However, Napoli does not want to sell him."
Midfielder McTominay, representing the Scotland national team, has showcased his talent at Napoli this season. Under the guidance of coach Antonio Conte, he recorded 12 goals and 6 assists in 34 Serie A matches, establishing himself as a key midfielder for Napoli. Notably, he boasted improved scoring ability, becoming the second-highest scorer on the team after Romelu Lukaku (14 goals).
Thanks to him, Napoli rose to the top of Serie A after intense competition, marking their first Scudetto in two years since the 2022-2023 season when Kim Min-jae was on the team. McTominay also made notable contributions in the final match, scoring both the opening and winning goals.
It is, quite literally, a transformation for McTominay. Ahead of the 2024-2025 season, he left Manchester United to don the Napoli jersey. The transfer fee was €30.5 million (approximately 48.3 billion won), and the contract duration was four years. The now-dismissed Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag decided to let McTominay go due to his lack of finesse with the ball and because he was viewed as a "catch-22" situation at Manchester United.
However, McTominay has been reborn under Coach Conte. He fully displayed his scoring instinct, which had also been apparent during his time at Manchester United, earning him great affection from many Napoli fans. Napoli fans even gave him nicknames like "Mc Maradona" and "Mc Terminator," comparing him to the late Diego Maradona. Praise for him as the best signing in Serie A continued to pour in.
McTominay has concealed his previous flaws while enhancing the strengths of his decision-making ability and physicality. He is a completely transformed player compared to his time at Manchester United and has caught the radar of Al Hilal. It is reported that Simone Inzaghi, newly appointed at Al Hilal following his departure from Inter, wishes for McTominay.
However, just one year ago, he was a discarded player at Manchester United. Coach Erik ten Hag released him, citing him as "clumsy" and "ambiguous," and sold him to Napoli for a mere €30.5 million. At that time, most Manchester United fans reacted by saying, "At that price, it was a good sale."
However, in just one year, he has grown into a top midfielder receiving love calls from Saudi Arabia. According to 'Football Italia' and Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla, Al Hilal has informally inquired about the possibility of acquiring McTominay from Napoli. Last season, Al Hilal finished in second place in the Saudi Pro League, falling behind Al Ittihad, and is currently pushing for player reinforcements to reclaim the championship trophy.
Coach Simone Inzaghi wanted to build a dream midfield with McTominay, Ruben Neves, and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic. However, Napoli drew the line against Al Hilal's attempts, stating that "the inquiry itself is meaningless."
According to journalist Pedulla, “McTominay is happy at Napoli. His choice has become more firm since Conte decided to stay.” 'Football Italia' also reported that “McTominay has not entered the transfer market. Napoli is not even discussing a sale."
Ultimately, this story boils down to one question: "Who was the one that failed to recognize that player?" The player ignored by United under Ten Hag has become the league's top star in Napoli, unshaken even by the influx of oil money. This is likely the reason Manchester United fans are clutching their heads in disbelief.
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