Jose Mourinho Names ‘Next Scott McTominay’ And Juventus Want Him
The wonderkid came on in the closing stages of Napoli's 2-0 defeat by Benfica.
Juventus are interested in a wonderkid Jose Mourinho has billed as the next Scott McTominay.
Jose Mourinho Says Youngster Will Be Next Scott McTominay
Mourinho steered his Benfica side to a 2-0 victory against Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Post-match, he spoke to McTominay, whom he had blooded during their time working together at Manchester United. While the Scot delivered a poor performance on the night, he has been a revelation in Naples.
The Special One awarded the now 29-year-old his senior debut at Old Trafford in May 2017, and McTominay went on to make 255 appearances in total before joining Napoli in August 2024.
During his press conference, Mourinho revealed what he had told the midfielder, which included a cheeky chat on his potential successor.
“I told McTominay that the kids I put on in the last few minutes are the next McTominays,” he said.
One of the players brought on late on was Jose Neto, a 17-year-old impressing in Benfica’s senior crop.
A versatile left-back, he is a regular in the Portuguese side’s second team, picking up five assists in 11 matches.
Highly rated by Mourinho, Neto was given his Champions League bow and has been dubbed one of the most promising talents in Europe. Now, according to Tuttosport, several clubs are circling, including Juventus.
Who Is Jose Neto?
The marauding full-back spent his formative years with his hometown club, Mineiro Aljustrelense, and was spotted by Benfica aged nine.
He quickly progressed through the youth ranks in Lisbon, stepping up into the Under-15 and Under-17 set-ups. This summer, at the age of just 17, he became a permanent fixture in the U23s.
Neto is widely expected to be given his Liga Portugal debut this season.
Scott McTominay Criticised For Performance
Despite the warm words from his former boss Mourinho, McTominay was below-par against Benfica in mid-week.
The Italian press did not hold back in their assessment of his bad day at the office. La Gazzetta dello Sport declared McTominay was “constantly forced to chase” as part of a wider Napoli display “lacking pace and ideas”.
Corriere dello Sport were equally damning, writing: “The protagonist is accustomed to being on the cover, but for different reasons.”
They noted how he had been at fault for both goals, having been beaten physically in the lead-up to the opener and then lost his man before Napoli slipped further behind.
However, his attention will quickly turn to this Sunday’s away trip to Udinese in Serie A.
Dan Davis
Dan is an experienced sports journalist and part-time lecturer. An expert on Serie A and Italian football, he has produced content for the likes of the Daily Mail, Reach PLC, GiveMeSport, FourFourTwo and GRV Media. While Channel 4's iconic Football Italia was a bit before his time, the nostalgia - and pastries - fuelled his love of all things Calcio.
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