Napoli Back Scott McTominay to Sign New Deal Despite Real Madrid Links

Napoli are working with the belief that Scott McTominay will extend his commitment to the Italian club. The Scotland midfielder still has two years left on his current deal, but sporting director Giovanni Manna has made it clear that talks over a renewal are already in progress and that the 29-year-old wants to remain at the Diego Armando Maradona, despite reported interest from Real Madrid.

• Napoli are holding talks to extend Scott McTominay's contract.
• Giovanni Manna is confident the Scotland international wants to stay.
• McTominay still has two years remaining on his current Napoli deal.
• Reported Real Madrid interest has not changed the club's plans.

Giovanni Manna confirms McTominay contract talks are underway

Napoli's sporting director has revealed that negotiations to extend the midfielder's contract are moving forward. Manna has no doubts about the player's intentions and believes McTominay is fully committed to the project in southern Italy, which strengthens the club's position ahead of any potential approach from elsewhere.

Since arriving from Manchester United, McTominay has become a key figure in the Napoli midfield. His performances in Serie A have drawn attention from some of Europe's biggest clubs, but the Italian side feel the Scotland international values the stability and importance he has found since making the move.

Real Madrid links do not concern Napoli at this stage

Reports placing Real Madrid among the clubs looking at McTominay have not altered Napoli's approach. The Serie A club are handling the situation calmly and believe the player's first priority is to resolve his renewal rather than listen to offers from abroad.

Real Madrid continue to explore options to strengthen their midfield in the coming seasons, and the Scotland international fits the profile of a physical, box-to-box option that has often appealed in the Spanish capital. For now, however, the player's own intentions, at least in Napoli's reading of the situation, point toward staying.

McTominay's market value among British players

The midfielder's stock has risen since his move to Italy. In the latest market value update, McTominay is rated at £34m, making him the 35th most valuable British player and the highest-ranked Scot on the list. He sits one place above Tottenham defender Archie Gray, who is qualified to play for Scotland but has represented England at youth level.

Ferguson, Barron and other names from the Scottish football market

The broader British football agenda features more movement around Scotland. Duncan Ferguson, the former Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager, is among the leading candidates to take over at Glentoran, one of Northern Ireland's most historic clubs.

Middlesbrough patient with Connor Barron

In the Championship, Middlesbrough boss Kim Hellberg has addressed questions about Connor Barron's limited game time. The 24-year-old midfielder, on loan from Rangers, is in the same situation as many summer signings who are only now starting to force their way into starting line-ups in the division.

Reedijk, Vignal and the Celtic storylines

Beveren technical director Bob Peeters believes new Hibernian manager Marink Reedijk will bring success to Easter Road. The 34-year-old had a slow start in Belgium, but Peeters points out that he eventually built a solid project and expects him to follow the same path in Scotland.

Gregory Vignal, the former Rangers left-back, wants to become a manager in Scotland. The 45-year-old recently left his role as Blackburn Rovers Under-21 boss and has previous experience in the Ibrox academy and with Dundee.

On the Celtic front, Billy Sharp has revealed that Neil Lennon tried to sign him twice for the Glasgow club. The striker, deeply connected to Sheffield United, says his love for the Blades was the reason he never made the move. Meanwhile, 17-year-old Celtic B striker Lucas Clearie trained with the first team before the Scottish champions' Europa League match against Benfica.

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