Scott McTominay's Heart Surgery a Complete Success

Scott McTominay’s heart surgery has been hailed “a complete success” by Napoli, with the club expecting the Scotland midfielder back in training before the end of the month.

The 29-year-old underwent an ablation procedure on Tuesday morning at Spire Manchester Hospital, a minimally invasive operation used to correct irregular heart rhythms. The issue was picked up after Napoli’s 2-1 Serie A defeat by Como on 30 August, a game in which McTominay was substituted after 56 minutes.

Tests revealed a mild benign arrhythmia. The medical team moved quickly, the decision made to act now rather than wait and risk complications deeper into the season.

Napoli confirmed in a statement that McTominay will rest for two weeks before rejoining full training. The initial plan had been for the former Manchester United midfielder to return to action after the international break in early October, and that timeline still looks realistic.

McTominay himself tried to calm any nerves when the news first broke. Posting on Instagram, he wrote: “See you soon Napoli. I won't take long.” The message was brief, but it underlined his intent to return swiftly to Rudi Garcia’s squad.

The timing is significant at international level too. Sebastien Pocognoli’s first four matches as Scotland head coach — home and away against Slovenia, plus Nations League fixtures with North Macedonia and Switzerland — are set for the end of September and early October. Whether McTominay features in that opening chapter of the Pocognoli era will depend on how smoothly his recovery and return to training unfold.

According to the NHS, an arrhythmia occurs when the heart beats too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm. For McTominay, the problem has been identified, treated and, crucially for club and country, resolved in time to keep his season very much alive.