Scotland Men's Football Team

Scotland centre-half Grant Hanley is closing in on a move to League One leaders Birmingham City, with Norwich City set to mutually terminate the final six months of the out-of-favour 33-year-old's contract. (Pink Un), external

Liverpool are planning to gazump rivals Manchester United and Manchester City to sign Bournemouth 21-year-old Milos Kerkez as their successor to Scotland's Andy Robertson at left-back. (I News), external

Contrary to reports, there is no Bournemouth interest in Liverpool's Ben Doak at this stage and they will not entertain offers that involve swapping the 19-year-old Scotland international for fellow winger Antoine Semenyo. (I News), external

Goalkeeper Zander Clark's new contract at Hearts will have no bearing on the future of 42-year-old current Scotland number one Craig Gordon at Tynecastle, according to head coach Neil Critchley. (The Scotsman), external

Former Rangers and Scotland midfielder Charlie Adam has been lined up for a role on Everton's coaching staff after the return of David Moyes as manager. (Alan Nixon on Patreon), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Napoli great Mariano Bogliacino compares Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay to club hero Marek Hamsik. (Record), external

Liverpool have rejected a £16m offer from Ipswich Town for Ben Doak, the bid coming shortly after Crystal Palace's opening £15m offer, and the 19-year-old Scotland winger's parent club would prefer him to remain on loan to Middlesbrough for the rest of the season. (The Athletic), external

Liverpool want £30m if they are to sell teenage winger Ben Doak. (Independent), external

Internazionale are eyeing up a winter move for Scotland midfielder Lewis Ferguson, according to website L'Interista, which claims a £16.6m bid could be made by the Italian champions in an attempt to pry the 25-year-old away from Serie A rivals Bologna. (L'Interista via Daily Record), external

Everton manager Sean Dyche says out-of-favour Scotland right-back Nathan Patterson will not be allowed to leave on loan unless a replacement is brought in. (Liverpool Echo), external

St Johnstone are keen to sign Scotland international Calvin Ramsay on loan after the right-back was recalled from his loan spell at Wigan Athletic by parent club Liverpool. (The Courier), external

Celtic are expected to contact Arsenal to begin negotiations about taking out-of-favour Scotland defender Kieran Tierney on loan until the end of the season, with talks having already begun between Celtic and the 27-year-old's agent about a permanent return when his contract with the Premier League club ends this summer. (Sky Sports), external

Celtic are hoping to announce the sensational return of Kieran Tierney from Arsenal on a pre-contract agreement over the next week. (Scottish Sun), external

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland left-back Greg Taylor is a target for ambitious Dinamo Zagreb head coach Fabio Cannavaro, with the 27-year-old now able to talk to clubs with less than six months remaining of his Celtic contract and looking increasingly unlikely to sign a new deal. (Daily Record), external

Celtic would love to lure Kieran Tierney back to the club and are working on a deal to sign the Scotland defender on a pre-contract deal in January, with the 27-year-old out of favour with Arsenal. (Football Insider), external

Scotland winger Ben Doak, the 19-year-old currently on loan to Middlesbrough, could be used as a makeweight in a shock January transfer after being named as a key target for Crystal Palace and with Liverpool keen on Palace captain Marc Guehi. (Daily Mail, print edition)

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Blackburn Rovers and Burnley want to sign former Sheffield United striker Oli McBurnie from Spanish club Las Palmas, where the 28-year-old Scotland cap has spent just six months. (Sun), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Image source, Getty Images

In an exclusive interview, BBC Scotland's Jonathan Sutherland speaks to Billy Gilmour and Scott McTominay about moving to Italy and how they're enjoying life at Napoli.

They also discuss their careers to date and international ambitions with Scotland.

Listen and subscribe to the Scottish football podcast

Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay discusses his decision to leave Manchester United for Napoli in the summer.

Read more: Why McTominay 'had to look out for number one'

Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay, 28, set up a goal in Napoli's 3-1 Saturday win over Udinese and international team-mate Billy Gilmour, 23, made a late cameo from the bench. (Scotsman - subscription), external

Read Sunday's Scottish gossip

We asked for your thoughts on Scotland's World Cup qualifying group.

Here's what you had to say:

Ian: Could have been a bit better, so will take it and see what happens. We have a great chance if we play to our potential, so bring it on.

Les: A decent group, we're on a momentum now so we'll be ready. Teams will fear Scotland.

Johnny: The highest ranked team will be the loser of a play-off, so if we can't at least make the play-offs from this group, then we have no place being at the World Cup anyway.

Ian: Could have had a much harder group. We need to be taking six points from the Belarus games, that's non-negotiable, win against Denmark or Portugal and Greece at home, avoid defeat away and we should be off to the Americas.

Scotland forward Che Adams, 28 scored from around 45 yards as he netted Torino's solitary goal winner against Empoli in Friday's Serie A match. (Sun), external

Read Saturday's Scottish gossip

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland will begin their World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign away to either Denmark or Portugal on 5 September.

The final place in Group C will be decided when those two sides meet in a Nations League A quarter-final in March, with the losers joining Steve Clarke's side, Greece and Belarus in Group C of the European qualifiers.

Following Friday's draw, Fifa has now announced the schedule of fixtures, which all take place in a three-month spell at the end of 2025.

Scotland conclude their campaign with a reverse fixture in either Lisbon or Copenhagen on 18 November, with the group winners progressing to the finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

The group runner-up will have a second chance to qualify through two rounds of play-offs.

Scotland's World Cup, Group C fixtures:

• Friday, 5 September: Denmark or Portugal (away)

• Monday, 8 September: Belarus (away)

• Thursday, 9 October: Greece (home)

• Sunday, 12 October: Belarus (home)

• Saturday, 15 November: Greece (away)

• Tuesday, 18 November: Denmark or Portugal (home)

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland manager Steve Clarke says reaching a World Cup is one of his "main remaining ambitions" after his side were drawn against Greece, Belarus and either Portugal or Denmark in their 2026 qualifying group.

The Scots last featured at a World Cup tournament in 1998 under Craig Brown's management.

The group winner will progress to the 2026 finals in Canada, Mexico and the United States, with the runner-up entering the play-offs, which will feature semi-finals and finals.

Scotland are in Group C, and fixtures will be played between September and November 2025.

"When I spoke after the tournament in the summer, I said that one of my main remaining ambitions is to go to a World Cup with my country," Clarke said.

"These qualifying games give me an opportunity to do that and I'm going to give it everything I've got and I'm sure my players will do the same.

"It was a difficult year but we finished it well. We showed that we can compete against the top teams and that's what we will have to do if we want to get to the World Cup.

"The players are desperate to do well for their country and I think the supporters appreciate that.

"1998 was a long time ago and when it comes to World Cups, there's no extra motivation required. The squad is full of players who want to go to the World Cup so now is the time to do it."

On the other nations drawn in Group C, Clarke insists there is nothing to fear, including their Pot 1 opponents, be it Portugal or Denmark.

"We know the Pot 1 game is going to be difficult but I think we've shown over the past few games that we can handle teams at that level," Clarke said.

"We will now play Greece four times in 2025 so we'll get to know them very well and the March games now take on a slightly different meaning, with both teams having a close look at each other ahead of the World Cup qualifiers.

"Belarus is a team we're not quite as familiar with but by the time we play them they will be a team we make sure we know everything about. For me it's about getting to know their players, getting to know their tactics and hopefully we can take the points that we require."