Scott McTominay has been hailed as one of the best midfielders in Italy.
The Scotland international started for Napoli last night as they defeated Roma 1-0 on home soil.
The result keeps Antonio Conte's side top of the table on 29 points after nine league games.
McTominay has scored three goals since his summer move from Manchester United.
And it's little wonder that his impressive form has captured the attention of former well-versed Serie A player Hernanes.
The Brazilian played for seven years in Italy, turning out for Lazio, Inter and Juventus.
Asked about his favourite midfielder in Serie A, he told sportitalia: "The Napoli one, McTominay - I saw him play live and I liked him a lot.
"He is elegant, then he sees the goal, because that's what he is: the number 8 must know a bit of everything.
"You have to mark, you have to set up the actions, but you have to see the goal and he sees it. And as a style of play, I like his.
"I also like Nicolo Barella but he's got a different style, he's very dynamic, very annoying, he marks very well.
"But I like midfielders more in the style of Teun Koopmeiners and McTominay."
Meanwhile, after last night's hard-fought victory, McTominay insists he's starting to get a grasp on the language.
He quipped when speaking to DAZN: “It’s improving. For now, I can order a ‘Caffe Americano, per favore."
Continuing: "First and foremost, my priority is to assist my teammates in every possible way. We are not looking too far ahead.
"Instead, we focus on improving session by session, giving our absolute best for the team.
"We have an outstanding squad, from which I can learn immensely while also sharing my own insights and experiences.
"Our mentality is solely focused on the next game. To be perfectly honest, we’re not casting our gaze too far into the future.
"We pour our efforts into each match, striving for improvement with every game we play. In football, things can change in an instant, so it’s essential to focus on the present.
"Our goal is to win, and there’s a winning mentality in the squad, but we remain cautious and do not look too far ahead.
"We heed the coach's strategies and the coaching staff's guidance, always aiming to perform at our very best.
"The league, as a whole, has left a strong impression on me. It’s not unexpected, but it has genuinely surprised me in a good way.
"Inter, Milan, and Juventus stand out as the top teams, and Roma are no walk in the park either.
"They all present formidable challenges, but we're also committed to delivering our best on the field."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel