'He never had a central role!' - Antonio Conte reveals why Scott McTominay is thriving with Napoli after leaving Man Utd as bit-part player

McTominay made the switch to Naples in a £25 million ($33.6m) transfer last summer, after years of fluctuating form and limited starts at Old Trafford. Since arriving in Italy, however, Conte has entrusted him with a defined position, which has brought out a new level in the 28-year-old.

Following Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s high-profile transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in January, Napoli needed someone to step up and fill the creative and attacking void. McTominay answered that call emphatically. The Scotland international has found the back of the net five times in the last three matches and has scored 11 league goals in total.

Speaking ahead of Napoli's upcoming Serie A clash with Lecce, Conte explained how McTominay’s consistent performances have been a key ingredient in the club’s strong title push this season.

"I think McTominay is stronger today than when he arrived from United. Here he has grown a lot," he told reporters. "I think that he himself feels stronger, with more knowledge, that he is also reaching an important stage of his age to understand where to go in his career because up to now he has been in the middle, he has never had a main role at United that instead we have given him here, he has grown a lot by working, today he is complete. But the improvement that he has had, everyone has had, otherwise it becomes difficult to explain why today we have 74 points."

Erik ten Hag, who managed McTominay during his final two seasons at United, had reportedly opposed the sale. Before he departed from the club, the Dutch manager expressed disappointment over the decision to let McTominay leave and revealed that United’s fears over breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules forced their hand.

With the finish line in sight, Napoli are firmly in control of their destiny. On paper, their remaining fixtures appear favourable, starting with Lecce this weekend, followed by Genoa, Parma and Cagliari. Confidence is running high in the Napoli camp, with fans daring to dream of lifting the Scudetto once again. As the final stretch of the season unfolds, McTominay is not just a contributor, he’s a cornerstone of Napoli’s title charge.