McTominay admits Real Madrid move would tempt him if Mourinho came calling

Scott McTominay has admitted he would seriously consider leaving Napoli for Real Madrid if Jose Mourinho — the manager who gave him his professional debut — came calling, in an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.

“If Mourinho were to call me about Real Madrid, honestly, I would think about it,” the 29-year-old Scotland international said, without hesitation. Mourinho returned to the Bernabeu for a second stint in charge at the start of this summer.

The admission carries weight given how settled McTominay has become in Naples since his move from Manchester United in the summer of 2024. In his debut season with the Azzurri, the midfielder scored 13 goals and played a central role in Napoli’s Scudetto triumph, earning both the Serie A Most Valuable Player and Footballer of the Year awards for 2024/25. He also received an 18th-place finish in the 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist — a remarkable rise for a player who had spent much of his United career on the periphery.

The connection between McTominay and Mourinho runs deep. It was the Portuguese manager who handed him his professional debut against Arsenal during the 2016/17 season at Old Trafford. The following campaign, McTominay made 23 appearances as Mourinho trusted him with Premier League and Champions League minutes, and at the end of that season the manager named him his personal Manager’s Player of the Year — a gesture McTominay has not forgotten.

Despite the nostalgic pull, a move to Madrid would come with significant complications. McTominay is under contract at Napoli until June 2028, and with Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler occupying similar positions at the Bernabeu, regular playing time would be far from guaranteed — a concern for a player in the prime of his career.

For now, he remains an integral part of Napoli’s squad even as Max Allegri has replaced Antonio Conte as head coach. McTominay has started both of the club’s Serie A fixtures this season, though he will miss the coming weeks after being scheduled to undergo a minor corrective heart procedure to address a mild benign arrhythmia.