Scott McTominay asks for €7m wage as return set for mid‑October
Midfielder recovering from heart surgery targets a comeback between 15 and 20 October 2026 while contract talks with Napoli simmer.
Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay is asking for a substantial pay rise while recovering from heart surgery, but the club expects him back on the pitch in mid‑October.
Return window and contract standoff
Club sources say McTominay’s cardiac operation will not endanger his career and that his comeback is targeted between 15 and 20 October 2026. That timetable would make him available for the Serie A match against Venezia on 17 October or the Champions League meeting with Bodø/Glimt on 20 October.
The medical update removes much of the immediate focus from his contract situation: McTominay’s deal with Napoli runs until the summer of 2028. He joined from Manchester United at the end of the 2024 transfer window on a four‑year contract and currently earns €4.5 million net per season.
According to Italian reports, the Scotland international is seeking a new salary of €7 million net per season. That level is reportedly beyond Napoli’s current plans, setting the stage for a tense negotiation that could become a recurring story in the coming months.
Napoli will have other challenges to manage before McTominay’s expected return. The team faces a high‑profile Serie A derby against defending champions Inter on 6 September 2026, a fixture in which Inter are slight favourites after a stronger start to the season.
Even with Napoli weakened by injury concerns and the contract debate, bookmakers give reasonable odds that both sides will score in the derby — a sign that goals remain likely despite the uncertainty surrounding the squad.
Photo: press material from the event
