Scott McTominay Undergoes Minor Heart Surgery, Out Against Arsenal
Scott McTominay has undergone minor heart surgery, ruling him out of Napoli’s Champions League opener against Arsenal and casting a shadow over the start of his season in Italy.
Arsenal, beaten finalists in last year’s competition, travel to the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona to launch this campaign. They will not, however, have to deal with one of Napoli’s most influential early-season performers.
The Scotland international has already started two Serie A matches this term, quickly establishing himself as a central figure in Napoli’s midfield. Then came last week’s announcement: McTominay would undergo a minor procedure to correct what the club called “a mild benign arrhythmia”, an irregular heartbeat classed as non-serious but requiring intervention.
That operation took place on Monday, September 7, in England, just 48 hours before Arsenal are due to fly to Naples.
No McTominay for Arsenal clash
There is no suspense around his availability. Napoli will not field McTominay against Arsenal.
The midfielder addressed supporters himself on Instagram last week, keeping the message brief and upbeat: “I won't take long.” At an awards ceremony in Italy, he expanded slightly, insisting there was no cause for alarm. “I'm fine, the procedure was something I'd planned to do with the club for quite a while,” he said.
Napoli’s initial statement offered a clear timeframe, stressing that he “will be available again after the international break.” Inside the club, the expectation is even more specific.
Sporting director Giovanni Manna told DAZN that McTominay faces a 28-day wait to regain full sporting fitness as he begins a course of anticoagulant medication. “It will take 28 days for (McTominay to return to) sporting fitness because he will take anticoagulant drugs. For two weeks, the player will rest and then resume competitive activity without contact,” Manna explained.
Anticoagulants, commonly known as blood thinners, are used to prevent blood clots and require a strictly managed return to full-contact sport.
Scotland also braced for absence
The four-week recovery window stretches well beyond club duty. McTominay is now expected to miss Scotland’s entire upcoming Nations League programme in the next international break.
That schedule includes four fixtures: Switzerland, North Macedonia, then a double-header against Slovenia. For a player who has become a consistent source of goals and drive for his country, it is a significant loss.
The Scottish national team moved quickly to send their support once the surgery plans were confirmed, issuing a simple message: “Wishing you all the best in your recovery, Scott. Hope to see you back in a Scotland shirt soon.”
Boost for Arsenal, test for Napoli
McTominay’s enforced spell on the sidelines strips Napoli of a powerful, box-to-box presence just as Europe’s spotlight swings onto them. For Arsenal, it removes one headache in a midfield battle that will still be fierce.
Napoli can still call on a formidable pairing in Kevin De Bruyne and Billy Gilmour, both now fit again and ready to dictate the tempo in the centre of the pitch. Arsenal know from bitter experience how quickly a Champions League campaign can tilt on details in that area of the field.
Napoli must now navigate that challenge without the Scot who had already begun to knit their structure together. How quickly he returns after those 28 days may say plenty about where both club and country are heading this season.
