Antonio Conte surprised by Scott McTominay's decision to join Napoli as coach says Serie A-winning star was 'not used in a decisive way' at Man Utd

Napoli won their fourth Serie A title under Conte, but it wouldn't have been possible if not for two key players: Romelu Lukaku and Serie A MVP Scott McTominay. In an interview, Conte claims he was surprised that McTominay decided to leave United for Napoli considering the club didn't play in many competitions.

The Scottish midfielder's decision to join Napoli caught Conte by surprise, but he understood why the player wanted to part ways with United, as he claims that the Red Devils simply never found a way to unlock his potential.

In the conversation, Conte said: "Scott is a player I knew very well. When he played he was always impactful, but at the same time I saw that he was not used in a decisive way or as a key player in his team. Maybe he never started the season as a starter. I spoke to Manna about it and he told me that it could be done, if certain situations came together. Often, when directors talk to you, they tell you lots of stories, sometimes even to keep you happy."

The Italian coach further said: "If you asked me if I ever truly believed 100% that McTominay could arrive, I would say no . We had to have a season without cups, so he would have had to leave a club like United to get back in the game with us. In the end, however, he arrived, and I was very happy because Manna was good. I didn't think it could really happen."

Conte was reportedly looking to depart Napoli amid rumours linking him with a move to Juventus but after constructive talks with Napoli president De Laurentiis the Italian decided to stay. With his future sorted, Conte will now aim to push for more silverware's and look to compete in the Champions League in the upcoming season.