Napoli’s injury problems have not disappeared, but Scott McTominay’s return to Castel Volturno gives Massimiliano Allegri one more option before an unforgiving stretch of the season.
The midfielder has passed his medical fitness assessment following a procedure for a mild, benign arrhythmia. He resumed training on Saturday and can now work towards selection, initially with controlled minutes before any fuller involvement.
Quick facts
- Scott McTominay has returned to Napoli training after medical clearance.
- His operation for a mild benign arrhythmia is now behind him.
- Napoli are dealing with close to 12 injured players.
- Allegri has only a small group of midfielders available, including Stanislav Lobotka, Billy Gilmour and Kevin De Bruyne.
- The club face nine matches across 29 days.
For Napoli, the value of McTominay’s availability extends beyond one player returning from a health issue. The squad is deep in an emergency period, particularly in midfield, and even a gradual reintroduction gives the coach a possible extra resource from the bench.
Allegri has been considering different answers in training. A three-man defence was tested in the latest session, an indication of a staff searching for balance while injuries restrict the usual choices.
McTominay will not be expected to carry the side immediately. Yet his return changes the picture ahead of a demanding run: Napoli no longer have to look only to Lobotka, Gilmour and De Bruyne when the schedule begins to tighten.
After a difficult medical interruption, the Scotland international is back in the group. In a season increasingly shaped by availability as much as form, that is a meaningful step for Napoli.
