A Napoli club chief has shared more information on former Manchester United star Scott McTominay's upcoming surgery and expected recovery time
Scott McTominay at Napoli vs Como
Scott McTominay faces time on the sidelines(Image: Andrea Staccioli/Insidefoto/Shutterstock)
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Former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has made a flying start to life in Serie A, but now faces some time out of the spotlight. McTominay is due to undergo heart surgery, with the player and his club both explaining the situation and the potential recovery time.
"I’m fine, the procedure was something I'd planned to do with the club for quite a while," McTominay said following the confirmation that he is set to undergo the surgery. "Following the onset of a mild benign arrhythmia, McTominay will undergo corrective surgery using a cardiac arrhythmia ablation (PFA) in the coming days," a club statement also read.
As reported by The Athletic, the Scotland international will undergo the procedure next week, and isn't the first footballer to have such surgery. Former England and Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana did the same as a teenager, while English players Colby Bishop and Connor Goldson have both undergone open-heart surgery during their careers as a preventative measure.
According to the NHS website, "Heart rhythm problems (arrhythmia) are when your heart beats too quickly or too slowly, or your heartbeat is not steady". The Serie A champion will be out of commission for Napoli's midweek match against Arsenal, but the upcoming international break means he won't miss too many games.
Now, in a fresh update, Napoli sporting director Giovanni Manna has confirmed how long the player is expected to be out of action. "It will take 28 days for sporting fitness because he will take anticoagulant drugs," He said. "For two weeks, the player will rest and then resume competitive activity without contact."
While there are positives for McTominay's club, the Scottish national team will be without him for some significant matches. Sebastien Pocognoli's side will play four times in the UEFA Nations League in late September and early October - two against Slovenia and once each against North Macedonia and Switzerland.
Napoli chief Manna also spoke about McTominay's contract situation in an interview with DAZN. The 29-year-old's current deal runs until the summer of 2028.
"McTominay’s contract renewal? Scott said he doesn’t know if he’ll renew at this time," Manna said, via Goal. "He has a two-year contract, we want to do it, and he wants to do it too. It’s not always easy to make things coincide, but we’re trying."
After picking up three points in their first three matches of the new season, Napoli sit 11th in Serie A. McTominay started the first two of those matches - a victory at Genoa and defeat at home to Como - but missed the defeat to Inter Milan while waiting to undergo surgery on Monday.