How 'raider' Mctominay Became A Napoli Icon

Tattoos. Flags. Cakes. Kilts. Many nicknames - and 11 goals successful a Serie A title challenge.

Scott McTominay's effect astatine Napoli has been immense since his summertime move from Manchester United, starring to him instantly becoming a fans' favourite successful nan football-mad Italian city.

He has conscionable been named Serie A subordinate of nan period - nan first Scot to person nan grant - aft netting 5 goals successful April.

"He's a raider, not a builder," says Naples journalist Vincenzo Credendino.

No wonderment his erstwhile leader astatine Old Trafford, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, recently told BBC Sport "how you tin waste Scott is beyond me".

But really has nan 28-year-old managed to drawback nan imagination and adulation of Napoli fans truthful overmuch - and go specified a cardinal cog successful Antonio Conte's championship-chasing team?

Lancaster-born McTominay had been pinch United for complete 20 years - first attending a shot schoolhouse astatine nan nine aged 5 - until his summertime departure.

It was a communal determination to leave, for a interest of £25.7m. McTominay wanted a alteration of scenery, and nan Premier League's Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) meant nan woody made consciousness to United.

He joined Napoli connected nan aforesaid time arsenic Scotland team-mate Billy Gilmour moved from Brighton for £12m.

But nan move astir did not happen. Another midfielder Marco Brescianini was having a aesculapian astatine Napoli and seemed group to subordinate from Frosinone.

But abruptly nan Italy world completed a indebtedness move to Atalanta, pinch an responsibility to buy, and Napoli signed McTominay instead.

Reports alteration connected really it each unfolded. Some opportunity Brescianini opted for Atalanta, aliases Napoli pulled retired erstwhile McTominay became available, while others opportunity Frosinone tried to alteration nan deal.

Whatever happened, it has worked retired good for Napoli.

McTominay has scored 11 goals successful 31 Serie A games for Napoli - netting different 1 successful nan Coppa Italia.

Five of those 11 convention goals came successful April, capable to spot him triumph nan subordinate of nan period award.

It besides makes him nan top-scoring midfielder successful Serie A this play on pinch AC Milan's Christian Pulisic.

By comparison, he only bagged 19 goals successful 178 Premier League games for United.

The occurrence comes from playing much of an attacking cardinal midfield domiciled successful Conte's team. In a batch of his clip for United and Scotland, he played arsenic a protect midfielder.

"Conte changed his strategy to put him successful nan champion conditions to play," said Credendino.

"In nan strategy of Conte he's not a builder, he's a raider - nan champion action while you person a number 9 for illustration Romelu Lukaku, who coming plays - and builds - a batch for nan team."

McTominay is 1 of only 2 midfielders, on pinch Pulisic, to touch nan shot much than 100 times successful nan guidance punishment area, earlier this weekend's games. He is besides adjacent nan apical of duels won successful Serie A.

Credendino added: "You tin comparison McTominay pinch nan large midfielders of Conte's history. In his first years astatine Juventus (2011-12 and 2012-13), Claudio Marchisio and Arturo Vidal scored 9 and 10 goals respectively.

"It's not a coincidence. McTominay is cleanable for Conte arsenic Conte is cleanable for McTominay."

With 3 games left, Napoli are 3 points supra second-placed Inter Milan arsenic they bid for a 4th title successful their history.

Champions League finalists Inter sojourn Torino astatine 17:00 BST connected Sunday, pinch Napoli hosting Genoa astatine 19:45. McTominay will person his April grant earlier that game.

Naples is simply a one-club city, pinch only a fistful of pockets of existent occurrence successful their history. They really idolise their heroes, astir notably Diego Maradona.

McTerminator, MacGyver, apribottiglie (the vessel opener) and McFratm are immoderate of nan different nicknames McTominay has been called by fans this season.

He says McFratm - which astir translates arsenic McBro successful Neapolitan slang - is his favourite, and a instrumentality precocious sewage that sanction and McTominay's number 8 arsenic a tattoo connected his leg.

There are McTominay day cakes and net memes depicting him arsenic nan caller Pope.

"I saw nan passionate fans, I saw nan coach, I saw nan players and I saw an opportunity," McTominay told BBC Scotland successful December.

"I took it, I didn't look back. It didn't return maine agelong to make nan determination because I knew that was what I wanted and I'll ne'er person immoderate regrets successful my life. As soon arsenic I put my mind to thing I want to do it, that's it. There's nary holding maine back.

"I emotion this place, I emotion nan fans, I emotion my team-mates."

San Ciro's edifice successful Edinburgh person a Scotland emblem up pinch nan words 'Napoli. McTominay. Pizza. In that order'.

That says a batch for a pizza restaurant.

Brothers Ciro and Santo Sartore, who were calved and raised successful Scotland to Neapolitan parents, tally nan edifice together.

About McTominay's popularity, Ciro said: "In my opinion, it's because of really good he has taken to Napoli.

"Napoli fans emotion erstwhile a subordinate commits to nan city, and him kissing nan Napoli badge shows really overmuch nan emotion and appreciation intends to him. Obviously, scoring a batch of goals helps too."

A shrine emerged to McTominay successful San Nicola a Nilo this week.

"Napoli fans could not beryllium happier - he is nan awesome of nan cognition of this Napoli, pinch his strength and sacrifice successful each game," added journalist Credendino.

"This is thing nan fans admit a lot, arsenic they liked his buss connected nan garment successful nan lucifer against Palermo successful September and nan truth he is learning Italian and moreover Neapolitan."

And different measurement to make himself celebrated pinch Napoli and Italian fans? Praising their tomatoes.

McTominay told nan Athletic, external recently: "Oh my goodness, nan tomatoes. I ne'er ate them astatine home, they're conscionable reddish water.

"Here, they really sensation for illustration tomatoes. Now I eat them arsenic a snack. I eat each nan vegetables, each of nan fruits. It is each truthful fresh. It's incredible."