'Fabulously good decision' - Scotland pair lauded as English clubs told they missed trick with Man Utd sale

Both Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour have made “fabulously good decisions” in deciding to move to Napoli, according to ex-Scotland winger Pat Nevin.

The Serie A outfit signed the current Scotland midfielders on transfer deadline day last month and they made their debuts as substitutes during Napoli’s 4-0 win over Cagliari in Sardinia.

Their move is in keeping with a recent influx of Scottish players to the Italian top flight, with Aaron Hickey, Lewis Ferguson and Josh Doig all excelling with clubs such as Bologna and Hellas Verona. Nevin believes McTominay and Gilmour will continue that trend, with the Naples-based outfit currently top of Serie A ahead of this weekend’s clash with Juventus.

“It’s becoming less rare for Scottish players to go to Italy than people think,” said Nevin. “Ferguson is at Bologna and Aaron Hickey played there as well. I think they like what they get from the Scottish players.”

Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay joined Napoli last month. | Getty Images

“I think both Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour are both fabulously suited to Napoli and obviously Antonio Conte knows Billy. I think McTominay and Gilmour have made fabulously good decisions, and so have Napoli. Both are great players.”

“I have watched McTominay play so many games for Scotland and I cannot believe that the English clubs didn´t jump at him. I mean, I am sure that Everton and West Ham would have taken him.”

“If anyone has not watched Napoli this season, I have to say what an exciting club it is. They have [Romelu] Lukaku up front, and then one of my favourite players in the world, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia. I hope he one day will play in the Premier League, because he is one of my favourite players. Also, they have that early excitement you always have when Conte comes in.”

Nevin is a big fan of former Rangers youngster Gilmour and compared him to Arsenal and Italy midfielder Jorginho. “Gilmour is one of those players where any team in the world can put him in the middle of the park and he will work it out,” Nevin continued. “I honestly don’t know a team he couldn’t cope in. He is so good on the ball. He is quite like Jorginho, who is the most underrated player I have ever known. Gilmour can be that good. If Jorginho can do it at that level, so can Gilmour.”

Nevin sees a bit of Jorginho in Gilmour. | Getty Images

Continuing in an interview with bettingexpert.com, Nevin regaled a tale on Gilmour. “I have a funny story about Gilmour,” he added, “and by the way, if you are in the same room as the two of us, you will never understand a word with our Glasgow accents. But when Chelsea won the Champions League final in Porto, I went to the party because Roman Abramovich invited me.”

“I started talking to Gilmour and Petr Cech just watched us talking before he asked us if we were speaking English. He didn’t understand a single word. Gilmour is such a lovely person and Cech was just laughing.”