McTominay's heart procedure 'a complete success'

WHAT HAPPENED
Napoli have announced that Scott McTominay’s recent heart ablation went well and have described the operation as “a complete success”. The club say the 29-year-old midfielder will take two weeks’ rest and are expecting him to return to training later this month.

The procedure was carried out at Spire Manchester Hospital on Tuesday morning. McTominay had been withdrawn after 56 minutes of Napoli’s 2-1 Serie A loss to Como on 30 August, after a mild benign arrhythmia was found.

KEY CONTEXT
- The treatment McTominay underwent was an ablation, a minimally invasive intervention intended to correct irregular heart rhythms. The British Heart Foundation explains that ablation uses heat or cold to create small scars that block faulty electrical signals in the heart.
- The NHS describes an arrhythmia as when the heart beats too quickly, too slowly, or with an irregular pattern.
- Napoli refer to McTominay as a former Manchester United player. The club had indicated they expected him back in matches after the international break in early October. McTominay himself posted on Instagram saying “See you soon Napoli. I won’t take long.”

WHY IT MATTERS
A midfield regular for Napoli, McTominay’s recovery timeline affects the club’s squad planning for the coming weeks and their availability for domestic fixtures. It also has implications for Scotland’s national team selection, with the player’s fitness relevant ahead of upcoming Nations League matches.

WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Napoli’s stated next steps: two weeks of rest followed by a return to team training later in the month (this is the club’s expectation rather than a confirmed date).
- Whether McTominay will be available for selection after the international break in early October, as the club previously anticipated.
- Scotland’s early fixtures under new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli — home and away versus Slovenia plus matches with North Macedonia and Switzerland in the Nations League — are scheduled for the end of September and early October, and his participation will depend on how his recovery proceeds.

KEY FACTS
- Procedure: cardiac ablation performed at Spire Manchester Hospital.
- Club assessment: Napoli described the operation as “a complete success.”
- Last appearance: substituted after 56 minutes of Napoli’s 2-1 defeat by Como on 30 August.
- Diagnosis: a mild benign arrhythmia prompted the corrective treatment.
- Recovery plan (club expectation): two weeks’ rest, then resumption of training; hoped return after the early October international break.