Napoli’s season has reached the point where a small return can feel like a change in weather. After weeks in which the midfield resources appeared to be shrinking by the day, Scott McTominay is back training with the group at Castel Volturno and may be ready for a controlled return against Frosinone at the Maradona on Saturday evening.
The Scotland international has not played since coming off in the 56th minute of the 30 August match against Como. He subsequently underwent an ablation procedure at Spire Manchester Hospital for a mild benign arrhythmia, an issue that had left both player and club facing an unsettling interruption. A month after the operation, he has received medical clearance and has resumed normal team work.
Napoli will not rush the process. A brief appearance, perhaps only a handful of minutes, is the realistic immediate target, but McTominay’s availability already changes the mood around Massimiliano Allegri’s squad. In recent weeks, the coach had been left with only Stanislav Lobotka, Billy Gilmour and Kevin De Bruyne as established central options while the club faced a demanding run of nine fixtures and continued to pursue both a high league position and Champions League qualification.
A midfield option returns before a crowded month
McTominay offers Allegri more than a body in the rotation. He can operate as a central midfielder, attacking midfielder or deeper player, and can work in either a two-man or three-man midfield. That flexibility gives Napoli an answer in a period when selection has been shaped as much by physical availability as by planning.
De Bruyne has also returned to Castel Volturno encouraged by his time with Belgium. The Belgian has yet to fully establish himself at Napoli, but his work during the international break has given Allegri reason to believe that a player of his quality can soon have a stronger influence on the side’s rhythm and confidence.
There are still unresolved problems elsewhere. Mathías Olivera and Favasuli remain unavailable in the wide areas, prompting Allegri to test a back three in training. Even so, he has not appeared inclined to abandon the principles that have kept Napoli closest to a 4-3-3, or a variation of it. The task is to make adjustments without allowing an injury list to dictate a complete redesign.
The calendar leaves little room for recovery. After Frosinone, Napoli travel to Villarreal before another home commitment on Tuesday, then head to Venice for a Saturday match. A further trip to Bodø/Glimt follows, before Roma visit the Maradona after a four-day gap. Napoli then face three consecutive away assignments: Monza on the 28th, Juventus in Turin on 1 November, and Porto in the Champions League. With Capodichino airport closed, the team will travel directly from Turin to Portugal.
It is a sequence that will test the depth of Allegri’s group and the balance of his decisions. For now, however, Napoli have recovered a player they feared losing for far longer. McTominay’s return may begin modestly against Frosinone, but after an anxious month, simply having him available again is an important step in a season that cannot afford many pauses.
