The Tartan Takeover of Italian Football

The race for the Scudetto is finely poised heading into the final match week. Tomorrow night, Napoli faces Cagliari at home, and Inter travels to Como to decide who wins the competition. Two consecutive draws stopped Napoli from lifting their fourth scudetto last weekend, but their fate still lies in their hands.

They hold a one-point lead at the top of the table. Napoli needs to beat Cagliari to secure the title, or match Inter’s result against Como.

Should they secure the title, Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour will be the first Scottish players to be crowned Italian champions since 1905. This would be the second landmark of McTominay’s incredible debut season in Italian football as he became the first Scotsman to win Serie A’s Player of the Month award.

The 28-year-old has developed into one of Napoli’s star players, scoring five goals in five matches in April, including doubles against Empoli and Torino. Serie A chief executive Luigi de Siervo said: “Scott McTominay’s impact on this championship has been ‘devastating’, proving to be an absolute top player, the ideal prototype of the ‘box to box’ midfielder.”

A Historic Season for Scottish Players in Italy

McTominay is not the only Scot impressing in Italy and breaking droughts. Lewis Ferguson captained Bologna to the Coppa Italia earlier this month, ending their 51-year wait for silverware. He also became the first Scot to lift the trophy in 30 years.

When asked about Scottish success in Italy, Ferguson said: “Josh Doig has just won Serie B to come back into the league with Sassuolo. Che Adams has had a really good season and scored important goals for Torino.

“I’ve spoken to Scottie and Billy over the last couple of days, with them congratulating me. For them to win the Scudetto would be something special for them, and something special for Scotland.”

Scottish players are making their presence known across Italian football.

A Legacy Reignited

Historically, it’s not uncommon for Scots to become cult heroes in the Italian leagues, but you do have to roll back several decades. Graeme Souness is a notable example. During his time at Sampdoria (1984-86), he helped the club finish fourth in Serie A, which equalled their best league finish. He also scored in both legs of the Coppa Italia final win over Milan, which was the first in the club’s history.

Souness continued the legacy of Scots in Italy, left by players like Denis Law (Torino, 1961) and Joe Jordan (Milan and Verona in the 1980s). However, his departure in 1986 led to a 32-year hiatus of Scottish nationals in the Italian leagues.

The lack of Scottish players choosing to ply their trade in Italy could be the result of several factors. The rise of English football and the Premier League would certainly have contributed. Scotland’s failure to qualify for a major tournament for 22 years may also have given players fewer chances to draw interest on the international stage. The reasons are unclear.

What is clear is that Liam Henderson’s 2018 move from Celtic to Bari in Serie B sparked renewed interest in Scottish players by Italian clubs. Since Henderson became the first Scot in Italy in over three decades, players have flooded in. Harvey St Clair (Scotland U21) joined Venezia from Chelsea in 2018. Aaron Hickey transferred to Bologna from Hearts in 2020, at the age of 18. Josh Doig joined Hellas Verona from Hibernian in 2022. And Lewis Ferguson moved from Aberdeen to Bologna in 2022.

Aaron Hickey and Lewis Ferguson are the standout players on that list. Hickey earned a £17m move to Brentford and is now a common fixture in the Premier League. Ferguson became the team captain after just one year.

Aaron Hickey’s success has been credited with changing perceptions and has led to regular scouting of Scottish players, which a Serie A sporting director noted had not been done until recently. Italian clubs find better value in Scottish players than in English ones: Liam Henderson £100,000, Aaron Hickey £1.5 million, and Doig & Ferguson £3 million each.

Scotland’s Growing Footprint in Italian Football

Historically, Italian sides flexed their financial muscles to sign Scottish stars from English clubs. When Denis Law signed with Torino in 1961, it was for a then-British record fee of £110,000. Now, the Premier League’s financial dominance, fuelled by massive broadcasting revenues, has priced Serie A clubs out of that market.

A source with experience in Scottish and Italian transfers told The Guardian: “The Scottish Premiership is a good market. People criticise the standard, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t good players. The Italians have realised that.”

This season alone, the Serie A made three new Scottish additions. Billy Gilmour (from Brighton), Scott McTominay (from Manchester United) and Che Adams (from Southampton) joined Torino.

As of the current season, six players who have represented Scotland at youth or senior level are competing in Serie A or Serie B. Including recent departures, the number rises to nine over the last three years. This number could rise further, as Aston Villa youngster Rory Wilson is being tracked by Bologna and Como.

We are seeing a Scottish renaissance in Italian football, which is likely to continue as clubs seek out the next McTominay or Ferguson to lead their team.

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