Jose Mourinho is reportedly hoping to reunite with former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay at Real Madrid, with Napoli valuing the 29-year-old at €80 million (£69 million).
Mourinho's history with McTominay
Mourinho handed McTominay his senior debut in 2017 and frequently praised the Scotland international, who left Old Trafford for Napoli in 2024. Since moving to Italy, McTominay has won the Serie A title and the Serie A Player of the Year award in his first season, and earned a Ballon d'Or nomination.
In 80 appearances for Napoli, he has scored 27 goals and provided 10 assists, leading many to believe Manchester United made a mistake by selling him. Wayne Rooney recently urged United to re-sign McTominay, but reports from Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb indicate Real Madrid are now interested.
Napoli's stance and contract situation
Napoli have no intention of selling and have placed a €80 million (£69 million) price tag on McTominay. His contract runs until 2028, but negotiations for an extension have reportedly stalled. McTominay's stance on a potential transfer remains unclear.
United sold McTominay for up to £30 million and would benefit from a 10 per cent sell-on clause if he joins Real Madrid. Napoli officials plan to hold talks with the midfielder after the World Cup.
World Cup struggles for Scotland
McTominay has faced criticism at the 2026 World Cup, with accusations of going missing in Scotland's group stage matches. Scotland narrowly beat Haiti before losing to Morocco and Brazil, finishing third in Group C with three points and a goal difference of -3.
Scotland's chances of advancing to the knockout stage are slim. According to Opta, their probability of qualification has plummeted to 0.07 per cent after results in other groups went against them. They can still progress if specific results occur, including Ghana beating Croatia by at least three goals, DR Congo drawing with Uzbekistan, and Austria beating Algeria by two or more goals.
