The midfielder, born in Lancaster, was linked to Manchester United in one way or another from the age of five. Jose Mourinho helped him make the step up to the first team at Old Trafford, where he ended up playing 255 official matches for the Premier League giant.

McTominay struggled to truly convince those in charge on the bench that he could be a key piece in an engine that was still stalling at times. He was deemed dispensable when the Serie A giants came calling.

He savored title glory at the end of his first season in Naples, before making history as the first Scottish player to be named Serie A Player of the Year. McTominay also finished 18th in the 2025 Ballon d'Or voting and is now being offered a new contract, as rumors begin to swirl about a transfer for a larger fee.

There has been talk of a possible return to British football and, when asked if that would interest McTominay at 29, Andy Gray — in comments to BetSelect — said: “I mean, why would he want to leave after the year he has had? He has been magnificent. I never doubted him. I didn't understand, A, why he never played more often for Man United, and, B, why they sold him. I was stunned by those two things.

He never let them down. Every time he played, he scored, contributed, or created chances. He was fantastic, he is a fantastic footballer, as we are seeing now, and now he is being recognized. I am really happy for the lad, and also for Scotland. He has had a brilliant season.

Am I surprised? Probably the level he has reached, Player of the Year in Italy, that is huge recognition in your first season. So you can be very, very proud of that. They won't want him to leave, not at all. They want him to stay.

If I were him, unless a huge club comes in, and I mean a huge club, why would you leave? He is 29. If you are doing well in Italy and the family is happy, a lot of that also depends on that, of course, because you never know. But if all the factors are good, and you are happy, and you can't fault anything, the place you live, the lifestyle, the football, if all of that more than meets the mark, then I think he will stay.

But, you know, it is up to him. He could say: ‘Yeah, you know what? I would like to go back, play a couple more years, my last years at a big club, back in the Premier League.’ I don't know. But I don't see why he would want to leave. I really don't.”

Part of United's problem is that they never seemed to determine what McTominay's best position is. He is shining as an attacking No. 10 at Napoli, and it is clear he is not the defensive midfielder the Red Devils used to see him as.

Gray added: “Of course he isn't! And that also goes for Scotland. We have seen it in Scotland for much longer than Manchester United did. I never understood it. Like I said, he was always fit.

Always, even when he came on as a substitute, he would either have two or three chances or he would score a goal. And then, the next week, they would leave him out again. And I would say to myself: what are you doing? How can you leave someone like that out?

And the way he moves around the pitch, he covers every blade of grass, he goes from back to front. But now he is like a 10, isn't he? He is not a 6 or an 8. He is a 10. He likes to get forward. He loves scoring goals. He likes to get into the final third and finish or create chances. And United, for whatever reason, certain managers, consecutive managers, didn't seem to recognize that at all, which surprised me.

I was amazed when he left, I have to say it. They told him: ‘We are going to sell you.’ I was stunned. But hey, many of the decisions United have made in recent years have left a lot of people stunned!"

It has been suggested that United might be willing to re-sign McTominay, as it looks for new reinforcements for the midfield, but doubts have been raised about whether such a deal would be possible. For now, a player who is in top form aims to finish the 2025/26 season on a high note at Napoli before joining the Scotland national team for the World Cup.

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