Scotland and Napoli midfielder Scott McTominay is scheduled to undergo a minor heart procedure to correct a mild benign arrhythmia, the club announced. The 29-year-old was substituted in Napoli's recent Serie A match and will have the corrective treatment in the coming days.
Napoli anticipates McTominay will be able to return to playing after the international break in early October. However, his recovery timeline means he is likely to miss the first four matches under new Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli. These Nations League fixtures include home and away games against Slovenia, and matches against North Macedonia and Switzerland.
An arrhythmia is defined by the NHS as a condition where the heart beats too quickly, too slowly, or with an irregular rhythm. McTominay's procedure, cardiac arrhythmia ablation, involves using heat or cold energy to create small scars in the heart. According to the British Heart Foundation, these scars help block faulty electrical signals, thereby restoring a typical heartbeat.