‘Biggest transfer mistake ever’ open to Real Madrid move for Mourinho

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Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

Scott McTominay has admitted that he is open to the possibility of rejoining Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, having been handed his Manchester United debut under the guidance of the Portuguese.

McTominay has sparkled at Napoli since leaving Old Trafford, earning a 2025 Ballon d’Or nomination for his part in leading Antonio Conte’s side to the Scudetto.

The Scot is presently sidelined after undergoing surgery for a minor heart problem, but when he makes his return to the field, he admitted a move to hook up with Mourinho at the Bernabeu would be something he is open to.

Current ETV

Scott McTominay

M, DM (C)

Napoli

Scott McTominay

M, DM (C)

Napoli

€32.8M

ETV Range

€29.5M - €36M

View full profile

He was asked directly in an interview with Corriere della Sera if he would go to Real Madrid if Mourinho asked him.

“If Mourinho called me to sign for Real Madrid, I would consider it,” he replied. “If that happened, I would think about it.”

Mourinho and McTominay share a special bond

The bond between McTominay and Mourinho is a deep one, with the Portuguese appreciative of the player’s attitude and work ethic.

“Nobody at United believed Scott could become the player he is,” the Real Madrid manager, who handed McTominay his professional debut at the age of 18, said.

Mourinho, of course, was the exception, taking established stars like Paul Pogba and putting them on the bench behind the Scotland star.

When Jose departed, McTominay’s first-team exposure was reduced and he was ultimately sold to Napoli for €30.5 million in a deal branded “the biggest transfer mistake in history” by ex-Italy centre-back Marco Materazzi.

McTominay to Real Madrid: What are the chances?

But if McTominay is open to rejoining Mourinho in Real Madrid, the data delivered by the Career Advice tool of analytics firm SciSports suggests that he would be better off looking at other options for his career.

Taking into account a wide variety of metrics, including potential development, game time, playing style and formation, Juventus is the only club to receive a higher Club Fit score than Napoli, hitting a massive 87.

By contrast, Real Madrid only receive a score of 64, marking especially lowly for playing time and style. Certainly, the system that Mourinho currently plays at the Bernabeu with Jude Bellingham acting as support to Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe and Brahim Diaz would seem to better suit the Englishman getting more regular playing time than McTominay.

While the Scot can also play deeper in midfield, he is at his best when crashing into the box to score goals, whereas Real Madrid explicitly need someone in this area better at controlling the tempo of games.

McTominay may therefore dream of getting a call from Mourinho, but he will appreciate that the chances of such are slim at this juncture in his career.