It’s amazing what you can find in the unwanted pile at English Premier League clubs these days.
How about a six-time title winner who has won the Champions League and earned 113 caps for his country? Or the international-class academy graduate who Jose Mourinho once singled out as his special one?
When Manchester City welcome Napoli to the Etihad Stadium on Thursday night, the concern among home supporters will be that the script is pre-ordained.
The return of Kevin De Bruyne just feels like it’s coming a little too soon. Now aged 34, the decision not to renew his contract after a trophy-laden decade at the club was taken on high at the end of last season.
Napoli boss Antonio Conte could hardly believe his luck. The brilliant Belgian midfielder has starred in the Serie A champions’ three opening league victories which have seen them top the table again.
After winning 19 trophies in his time at City, it would be understandable if De Bruyne felt a little sore at a new deal not materialising. He would deny it, of course, but he returns to his old stomping ground with a major point to prove.
McTominay, above right, and De Bruyne were once rivals in Manchester, now they are team-mates at Napoli and set to face City in the Champions League
Scotland star McTominay scores the wonder goal which helped Napoli win Serie A title
Scott McTominay acknowledges the supporters who now idolise him in Naples
While most of the pre-match talk will inevitably centre around Kevin, City fans will need no-one to point out the danger posed by another familiar face.
There was a time when Scott McTominay’s record in their stadium in a red jersey was played three, won three.
Although he tasted defeat on his last three visits in the colours of Manchester United, too much has happened to him across the past year for that to negatively influence his mindset.
Under-appreciated by so many throughout his time at Old Trafford, the £25.7million Napoli paid for his services a year ago was an act of grand larceny.
In an age when United have compounded one mistake in the transfer window with another, no single transaction illustrates their ineptitude in squad building more than ushering McTominay out of the door for a song.
In the Palazzo Diomede Carafa in Naples stands the San Nicola a Nilo, a Baroque-style church with a shrine outside.
In the early hours of May 24 this year, the religious image which was its centrepiece for years was swapped for one of McTominay. No one since has had the heart to remove it.
The previous night, in the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, and in the bars and restaurants throughout that sprawling city, nerves were starting to become frayed.
McTominay was used to battling Manchester City for United, now he will do so for Napoli
Antonio Conte’s team now boasts a midfield that includes both De Bruyne and McTominay
McTominay is introduced to the Pope after the Scot played a huge part in Napoli’s march to title
Cagliari were all that stood between Conte’s side and a fourth Scudetto. As half-time approached, however, dark thoughts were being entertained. Then it happened.
Matteo Politano’s cross from the right found McTominay with his back to goal and shackled by an opposing defender.
He instinctively improvised, flipping himself into the air to execute the perfect overhead kick with his right foot. The din which greeted his goal may have been heard up in Como where Inter Milan were praying for a final night slip-up by Conte’s men.
By the time Romelu Lukaku had bulldozed his way through the Cagliari defence early in the second half to claim a second, Neopolitans were preparing to celebrate like there was no tomorrow.
In a team full of heroes, McTominay’s contribution stood alone. The league’s top scoring midfielder with a dozen goals and officially named its MVP. Not bad for a player who was in and out of the Manchester United side before being traded for such a modest fee to no great protest.
The Scot’s wondrous performances on the park throughout that debut season were sufficient to grant him legendary status alone.
But the way in which he drank in the moment with the locals – Scotch, cigars and tripping the light fantastic in a nightclub – endeared him even more to the faithful.
Not only did McTominay deliver on the field, he immediately got the uniqueness of his adopted city and its people. He learned the language, kissed the sacred jersey and even praised the local tomatoes.
While no player ever has – or will – experience the same level of adoration heaped on Maradona in Naples in the late 1980s, McTominay is one of a select band to have been lionised.
Old Trafford was once his domain but now McTominay is the king of the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona
Letting McTominay go was just another huge folly perpetrated by Old Trafford hierarchy
McTominay was joined at Napoli by his fellow Scot Billy Gilmour, above right, who is also loving life in Italy
His face appears on tattoos, flags and cakes in bakers’ windows. Fans wearing kilts have become a regular sight at the stadium across the last year.
He doesn’t have one nickname. At last count, he had four; McFratm (roughly translated as McBro), McTerminator, MacGyver and Apribottiglie (the bottle opener).
Others may well follow. None will adequately articulate what he’s come to represent to his club and its fanatical supporters.
You could not understate the importance of Conte’s role in his spectacular rise. While a succession of managers at United deployed McTominay in a sitting position, the Italian has invariably played him off the front where his running power and strength have tormented opponents and won matches.
Already, it would be a brave person betting against Conte’s side repeating the trick and winning the Serie A title this season.
While Victor Osimhen has been sold to Galatasaray for £65m and Giacomo Raspadori switched to Atletico Madrid for £19m, the squad looks stronger.
None of the title-winning heroes that the club wanted to keep have departed. That includes McTominay’s fellow Scotland international Billy Gilmour.
On top of De Bruyne, Conte brought in defenders Luca Marianucci from Empoli, Miguel Gutierrez from Girona and Sam Beukema from Bologna.
Noa Lang arrived from PSV Eindhoven to add to the attacking options, with the out-of-sorts Rasmus Hojlund coming in from Manchester United on loan with an obligation to buy. How the Dane could do with a change of fortune.
With a serial winner in Conte still at the helm, despite rumours that he and owner Aurelio De Laurentiis had fallen out, Napoli look formidable.
Notwithstanding the fact that they have been given a tough draw in the Champions League, with PSV, Sporting Lisbon, Benfica and Chelsea among their opponents, their status as 28-1 ninth favourites to win the tournament outright is eye-catching.
That price could well tumble by the time their flight departs Manchester later on Thursday evening. In the place where they sing about the Blue Moon, they’ll be extremely wary of things being written in the stars.
