Is Scott McTominay joining Real Madrid? Why surprise Napoli transfer is 'Likely' in 2027

Scott McTominay underwent corrective surgery for a mild heart arrhythmia last month, ruling him out of Napoli's next four matches, he has since returned to action. Jose Mourinho wants his old midfielder back, nearly a decade after they worked together at Old Trafford.

Napoli, for their part, are not acting like a club ready to sell. Football Whispers Transfer Index Scott McTominay to Real Madrid 68/100 TPI Likely Real Madrid have opened contact with a player valued at €40m, but with no bid on the table and his contract running to 2028, this is still more Mourinho project than live deal.

The Whispers Index weighs five factors: can the buyer afford it, does the buyer actually need the player, does the player want the move, does the seller need to sell, and how credible is the reporting behind it. Real Madrid clear the first and last of those comfortably, with record revenue and six separate outlets now reporting contact.

The decisive fact working against the move is the one furthest from the pitch: Napoli's sporting director has already sat down with McTominay's agent to talk about keeping him, not selling him. Financial viability Financial viability 22 / 25 Real Madrid posted record revenue of around €1bn for 2024/25, the highest figure in Deloitte's Football Money League.

Transfermarkt values McTominay at €40m, up from a €25m valuation before his move to Napoli, with a career high of €50m set in June 2025. His Napoli contract runs to 30 June 2028, with the club already working to extend it to 2030.

No club has lodged a formal bid as of mid October 2026, so any fee remains unconfirmed. A deal in the region of McTominay's €40m valuation is loose change against a €1bn revenue base.

Real Madrid do not need to sell to fund this one, and nothing in the reporting so far suggests a fee has even been discussed. The club's bigger spending commitments this year have gone on the first-team spine rather than depth signings, which leaves room for a move of this size without disturbing the budget.

The one number that could still change the shape of a deal is the extension Napoli are pushing, since two more years on his contract would raise his price before Real Madrid get anywhere near a bid. Buying club need Buying club need 13 / 20 Real Madrid sit fourth in La Liga and have been reported as actively assessing midfield reinforcements this autumn.

Their own squad already carries Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham across central midfield, with Thiago Pitarch and Jorge Cestero also filed there. McTominay scored 10 goals and added 3 assists in 33 Serie A appearances in 2025/26, the most productive season of his career from midfield.