McTominay to miss Scotland games after 'mild benign arrhythmia'

Scott McTominay is to have a minor heart procedure after he was substituted after 56 minutes of Napoli's 2-1 Serie A defeat by Como on Sunday, Napoli have announced. The club said tests found "a mild benign arrhythmia" and that he will undergo treatment.

McTominay, a 29-year-old Scotland midfielder who plays for Napoli, will undergo cardiac arrhythmia ablation, the club said. Napoli added that he will have corrective treatment "in the coming days". The announcement followed his substitution in the match against Como.

The development is likely to rule him out of Sebastien Pocognoli's first four games as Scotland head coach, with the fixtures listed as Slovenia (home and away), North Macedonia and Switzerland in the Nations League. Napoli's statement linked the required procedure to his immediate absence from international duty.

According to the NHS, "an arrhythmia is when the heart beats too quickly or too slowly, or the heartbeat is not steady." The British Heart Foundation explains cardiac arrhythmia ablation "is when heat or cold energy is used to create tiny scars in the heart to block faulty signals and restore a typical heartbeat."

McTominay posted on Instagram: "See you soon Napoli. I won't take long." The club said the corrective treatment will take place "in the coming days."

Napoli expect him to return to playing after the international break in early October.