Aston Villa and Manchester United are being linked with Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay as his contract negotiations stall. The 29-year-old seeks a salary increase from £3.8m to between £6m and £6.8m annually. Napoli would consider selling for €25-30m to avoid financial loss, with his agent already contacting English clubs.
McTominay scored 10 Serie A goals last season and has five in 11 games this term. He excels at aerial duels but lacks natural ball-winning ability and has not provided a Serie A assist this season. A January departure appears unlikely given Real Madrid and AC Milan are also monitoring the situation.
A midfield signing remains tempting after Villa's defensive struggles in their 4-4 draw at Manchester United, where they surrendered a 4-2 lead. However, McTominay's strengths duplicate qualities already present in Leon Goretzka and John McGinn. Villa should wait until January 2027 to negotiate a free transfer when his contract expires, avoiding the premium fee Napoli demands.
