Scott McTominay to Undergo Heart Procedure, Miss Scotland Matches

Napoli have confirmed that Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay will undergo a minor heart procedure after the discovery of what the club describe as “a mild benign arrhythmia”.

The 29-year-old was taken off after 56 minutes of Napoli’s 2-1 Serie A defeat by Como on Sunday, with medical checks later identifying the issue. The club say he will have corrective treatment “in the coming days” and expect him to be back in action after the international break in early October.

That timeline brings some relief for Napoli, but it lands a heavy early blow for Sebastien Pocognoli. The new Scotland head coach is now likely to be without one of his most experienced midfielders for his first four matches in charge: a home-and-away double-header against Slovenia, followed by Nations League fixtures against North Macedonia and Switzerland.

For a coach trying to set a tone and build a core, losing McTominay at the outset changes the picture. His knack for big moments in a Scotland shirt has been a recurring theme in recent campaigns; now Pocognoli must shape his opening chapter without him.

According to the NHS, an arrhythmia occurs when the heart beats too fast, too slowly, or with an irregular rhythm. Napoli have stressed the condition is mild and benign, and the expectation is that the procedure will resolve the problem and allow McTominay to resume his career.

For club and country, the wait now is short but significant.