From the drizzle and the darkness of Lancashire to the sun and salt of Naples. Let’s just hope Scott McTominay packed plenty of factor 50 when boarding his flight to the South of Italy.
After sealing a £25 million move away from his beloved Manchester United in August, the Carrington graduate made his Serie A debut in his new sky blue shirt before the September international break.
McTominay stepped off the bench to play the final 16 minutes of a comfortable 4-0 cruise against Cagliari.
But, for Radio Marte reporter Enrico Fedele, it was difficult to get the thought of Rocky Balboa’s arch enemy out of his mind. McTominay, he says, resembled Ivan Drago from afar.
And not only because of his blonde hair and his sky-scraping frame.
Scott McTominay left Manchester United for Napoli
“Some say he resembles Fabian Ruiz, but the Spaniard is much more of a player,” Fedele says, McTominay lacking the former Napoli playmakers outrageous technical talents but hopefully making up for that with physical power and box-crashing potential.
“Is the Scotsman more dynamic than Fabian? I wouldn’t say so. Honestly, (against Cagliari) he seemed as stiff as Ivan Drago, the Russian boxer in the Rocky Balboa movie!
“I’m joking, obviously.”
Fedele’s comments are clearly not intended to be taken too seriously. But there is a more sobering point to consider.
Does McTominay – lauded by Napoli legend Marek Hamsik last week and labelled ‘exceptional’ by new team-mate Matteo Politano – have the qualities in possession to adapt to life at one of the top clubs in Italian football?
For all his goalscoring threat – 17 for club and country since the start of last season – a Man United side with McTominay operating as a number six or a number eight often struggled to keep the ball under pressure and dictate the tempo.
Though, ahead of what could be a first ever Napoli start during Saturday’s daunting trip to Juventus, Partenopei boss Antonio Conte believes that both McTominay and fellow Scot Billy Gilmour are heading in the right direction on the training pitch.
Antonio Conte pleased with Scotland star’s progress
“The more time passes, the more they fit into our idea,” former Tottenham, Chelsea and Italy boss Conte tells Tuttomercatoweb. “(We have had) ten days with Billy and Scott. It was positive.
“They are understanding the idea of football we want to play. They adapt to the type of work also from a physical, metabolic, and strength point of view, and what the coach asks for.
“I’m happy because they are receptive and can give us a good contribution.”
Conte has long since been wedded to his trademark three-at-the-back system, for better or for worse.
According to La Repubblica, however, the experienced tactician is working towards a switch to 4-3-2-1, with McTominay likely to be involved from the start against Thiago Motta’s Juventus.
McTominay is likely to operate as a box-to-box midfielder in that role, given the freedom to make those highly effective late runs into the penalty area with the ever-reliable Stanislav Lobotka holding the fort in behind.
