Scott McTominay to Undergo Minor Heart Procedure

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The 29-year-old was withdrawn after 56 minutes of Napoli’s 2-1 Serie A defeat by Como on Sunday. Medical checks that followed led to the diagnosis and the decision for corrective treatment.

The procedure is scheduled for “the coming days”, with Napoli stressing that the issue is minor and treatable. The club expect McTominay to be back in action after the international break in early October, a timeline that offers reassurance but still carries a cost.

For Scotland, that cost is immediate. McTominay is now likely to miss Sebastien Pocognoli’s first four matches as national head coach – a double-header against Slovenia, plus Nations League fixtures against North Macedonia and Switzerland.

It is a significant early setback for Pocognoli. McTominay has been a central figure for Scotland in recent campaigns, his presence and goals from midfield often tilting tight games. Now the new manager must launch his tenure without one of his most reliable performers.

An arrhythmia, according to the NHS, is an irregular heartbeat – when the heart beats too fast, too slowly, or out of rhythm. In McTominay’s case, the condition has been classified as mild and benign, a crucial distinction as he prepares for a short spell on the sidelines.

Napoli’s expectation is clear: a brief interruption, then a return. Scotland’s challenge is just as clear: reshape a midfield and a game plan without him, right at the start of a new era.