Scott McTominay to Undergo Heart Surgery, Out for a Month

Scott McTominay will be out of action for a month after Napoli confirmed the midfielder needs surgery to correct a minor heart issue.

The Serie A club announced on Tuesday that the 29-year-old has developed a "mild, benign arrhythmia" – an irregular heartbeat that has been detected early and classified as non-threatening.

In their statement, Napoli said: "Scott McTominay is due to undergo corrective ablation surgery (PFA) in the coming days. The player will be available again after the international break."

It is a jolt for both club and country. McTominay, who joined Napoli after leaving Manchester United, has quickly become an important figure in midfield, but his return will now be delayed until after the next round of fixtures.

The timing hits Scotland hardest. He is set to miss all four of their Nations League group games between September 26 and October 6 – two meetings with Slovenia and one match each against Switzerland and North Macedonia.

Napoli, though, expect him back once the international window closes. The club’s message was clear: a short spell out, a procedure to fix the problem, and then a return to the pitch.

For Scotland, the question is simple and stark: who steps up in his absence during a crucial block of Nations League games?