Scott McTominay, Napoli's 29-year-old Scottish midfielder, has resumed training following his cardiac ablation procedure, with our estimate placing his return to competitive action around 26 September — though no official date has been confirmed by the club.
The timing matters because Napoli are not in a comfortable position. Massimiliano Allegri's side sit ninth in Serie A after five matches, with seven points from two wins, one draw, and two defeats, and a goal difference that barely flatters them at seven scored and six conceded. McTominay's absence has coincided with a period of genuine instability, and his return — whenever it arrives — will not be into a settled environment.
What complicates the picture further is that Anguissa has now joined McTominay on the injury list, confirmed out after Napoli drew 1-1 away against Fiorentina on 20 September. That result, combined with McTominay's absence from the matchday squad for both that fixture and the home match against Bologna on 13 September, means Allegri has been navigating his midfield with meaningful personnel gaps at the worst possible time.
McTominay's own numbers from the two Serie A appearances he did manage this season — an average rating of 6.45 across those matches, with no goals or assists — suggest a player who had not yet hit his stride before the health issue intervened. An AI overall of 73 out of 100 reflects a midfielder with clear quality, but the early-season data offers no evidence yet of the form that made him such a significant acquisition.
There is also a broader question hanging over the squad. Reports have circulated about potential winter reinforcements, with De Bruyne among names linked to the club, and the coaching appointment itself generated noise after it emerged that Vincenzo Italiano had been in discussions with Napoli before Allegri was confirmed. None of that background noise directly concerns McTominay, but it speaks to a club still searching for its identity under a new manager.
His return to training is the first concrete positive development in weeks. Whether he can recapture momentum quickly enough to influence a season that has started below expectations is the question Allegri needs answered soon.