The former Manchester United midfielder was joined in Naples by Man City great De Bruyne after winning the Serie A title.
The addition of Kevin De Bruyne has reduced the importance of Serie A’s most valuable player, who was the driving force behind Napoli’s fourth Scudetto.
Scott McTominay had a spectacular debut season in Italy.
The former Manchester United midfielder scored numerous goals under Partenopei head coach Antonio Conte and was regarded as Naples’ new favourite son well before the league victory was clinched.
Scotland international McTominay quickly adjusted in Italy and Italian football, making a mockery of his unimpressive reputation as a Manchester United player.
The 28-year-old held his own in a team stacked with excellent players, including top scorer Romelu Lukaku, but Napoli’s return to the Champions League has added a whole new level of star power to the Diego Maradona.
According to Italian media, De Bruyne’s purchase has a knock-on impact for McTominay.
The Belgian travelled in Naples expecting to play and reacted violently when he was replaced during Sunday’s defeat to AC Milan at the San Siro.
McTominay has been pushed out to the left wing to accomodate De Bruyne, and the former Red Devils midfielder’s typically dominating presence has been significantly reduced in the early matches of the 2025-26 season.
“McTominay is Napoli’s biggest problem at the start of this season and not through his fault, but because of where he’s being positioned,” stated Lento, who is a journalist.
“There’s a problem,” Eleonora Trotta explained. “Both due to the substitution [of De Bruyne] and the controversy, and because of his impact [on McTominay].”
Conte faces a conundrum in his midfield. If his reaction to De Bruyne’s outburst is any indicator, he may be tempted to restore one of his most crucial players to the position where he performed best last season.
How McTominay Became Serie A’s MVP
After leaving Manchester United last summer, McTominay settled in quickly at Napoli.
He made all the right noises about the city and backed it up on the pitch, scoring 12 goals in his first Serie A season and putting in a string of dominant displays to help Napoli reclaim the top spot.
De Bruyne’s pedigree is unquestionable, but balance and culture are critical to championship-winning teams, and the Italian media has seized on the notion that the 34-year-old may be upsetting Napoli’s.
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