Scotland Men's Football Team

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Ready to start thinking about Scotland again?

If not, tough. If so, lucky you - Tuesday is the day Steve Clarke announces his squad for next month's Nations League double-header with Portugal and Poland.

After a disappointing summer in Germany, many feel there is a need to freshen things up - so where could we perhaps see changes in the set-up?

Celtic captain Callum McGregor's international retirement means there's a gap to fill in midfield, might Rangers new boy Connor Barron be the man to replace him?

Clarke suffered intense criticism in the aftermath of Scotland's Euros exit, mainly for a lack of verve in attack.

How can he address that? Will Liverpool's Ben Doak come back into the fold? As reports suggest, will there finally be a call-up for Ryan Gauld?

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, the Daily Record's Daniel Caw said: "If the Euros taught us anything, it's that we're crying out for a little bit of creativity and some more firepower options.

"I would love to see Gauld in the squad. The fact he's got zero caps at the age of 28 is unfathomable to me.

"The other guy I'd love to see in would be Simon Murray. I know he's 32 and it might feel like the ship's sailed a little, but 23 goals last season. He's got six this season. What else does he need to do to get a look in?"

Former Rangers goalkeeper Cammy Bell, who gained a cap for Scotland in 2010, added: "I would like to see Barron get a call-up. I think he's a young, talented player and he's started his Rangers career really, really well."

And on the goalkeeping situation, Bell feels "it will be hard" now for Liam Kelly to retain his place in the squad after signing for Rangers as a back-up option.

Napoli are continuing with their plan for Brighton & Hove Albion's Billy Gilmour to undergo a medical this week after a transfer fee of more than £12m was agreed for the 23-year-old Scotland midfielder. (Fabrizio Romano on X), external

Napoli remain confident of completing a deal for Brighton & Hove Albion's Billy Gilmour and also want to sign fellow Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay from Manchester United, but they may have to sell first to complete both. (Dharmesh Sheth on X), external

The £25.4m sale of Scott McTominay to Napoli, subject to all parties being satisfied on player terms, is important for Manchester United's financial fair play compliance and their bid to sign Paris St-Germain's Manuel Ugarte will be aided by the 27-year-old Scotland midfielder's exit. (David Ornstein on X), external

Scott McTominay is keen to join Napoli after a £25.4m fee was agreed with Manchester United, but a pay-off from the Premier League club and personal terms with the 27-year-old Scotland midfielder's proposed new employers are yet to be agreed. (Fabrizio Romano on X), external

Scotland centre-half Liam Cooper has agreed to re-sign for Hull City following the 32-year-old's Leeds United exit. (Football Insider), external

Rangers are in talks with John Souttar about a new contract and an agreement is close over a long-term deal beyond the 27-year-old Scotland centre-back's current summer 2026 as manager Philippe Clement looks to avoid a repeat of this year's freedom-of-contract exits by John Lundstram and Borna Barasic. (Daily Record), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay could have played his last game for Manchester United despite a £19.5m bid from Napoli being rejected as a £25.5m offer could be enough to get the deal done. (Fabrizio Romano on X), external

Scotland centre-half Liam Cooper is close to agreeing a return to Hull City following his departure from Leeds United and the 32-year-old was in owner Ali Acun Ilicali's box at the MKM Stadium for Saturday's 0-0 draw with Millwall. (Sky Sports), external

Read Sunday's Scottish gossip

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Connor Barron believes "there is lots more to come" after a promising start to his Rangers career which has ramped up rumours of a Scotland call-up.

The midfielder has caught the eye since joining in the summer from Aberdeen and surprised some, but not himself.

"I know what I can do, what I can bring to the team and I know what we've got here," the 21-year-old said as he previewed the weekend's game against Ross County.

"It's about me focusing on what I can improve. I know there is lots more to come from me, this is just the start."

There has been speculation Barron is in line for a call-up to Steve Clarke's Scotland squad, which will be named on Tuesday, but he insists his is fully focused on the task at hand.

"My performances on the pitch are what merits that; if it comes along I'll be buzzing," he added.

"It's outwith my hands, I do my talking on the pitch, I try and perform as well as I can and if it happens, it happens. It's all about me being a Rangers player and doing my job for the club.

"It's an aim of mine, but first and foremost it's what I do on the pitch for Rangers. If I am putting in performances for Rangers, you never know what can happen."

Manchester United are set to sell Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay, 27, to Napoli in order to comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish gossip

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It's been 21 years since Darren Fletcher made his Scotland debut.

Aye, we are all getting a bit old.

On 20 August 2003, the former Manchester United midfielder was subbed on in place of Maurice Ross in a goalless draw against Norway.

Fourteen years later, Fletcher, who scored five international goals, retired as Scotland's third-most capped male player with 80 appearances to his name.

Sixteen of those caps were won wearing the captain's armband.

How big an impact could Scott McTominay's summer have on Scotland?

Quite a significant one is the view of The Scotsman's sports editor Mark Atkinson, who wants the Manchester United midfielder to be "in the best shape possible" for the national team.

That view will be shared by head coach Steve Clarke and many of the Tartan Army as the 27-year-old continues to be linked with a move away from Old Trafford.

While Atkinson would keen for McTominay to remain at United and fight for his place after scoring 10 goals for Erik ten Hag's side last term, Mark Critchley of The Athletic feels Napoli is becoming "one of the more likely options" for the Scot.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, Critchley says talks are progressing on a deal that could see McTominay move to Italy along with Scotland team-mate Billy Gilmour, the Brighton midfielder who has also been linked with a switch to Naples.

"I would imagine McTominay would prefer to stay in England, if I'm totally honest," Critchley adds.

"He's quite a name here and he's coming off the back of probably his most impressive individual season.

"But if the options are that he has to try something new and move somewhere where he could be more of a regular and have more of an influence on things, then Napoli is looking like one of the more likely options."

If Brighton & Hove Albion secure the signing of Matt O'Riley from Celtic, Napoli are ready to proceed with the capture of 23-year-old Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour from the Premier League club. (Fabrizio Romano on X), external

Fulham have conceded defeat in their attempt to sign 27-year-old Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay from Manchester United and have instead agreed a deal for Sander Berge from Burnley for £20m plus £5m in bonuses, with the Norwegian due for a medical on Tuesday. (The Athletic), external

Manchester United will only consider a summer exit for Scott McTominay if the Scotland midfielder, who has attracted plenty of interest but for whom there have been no formal bids, makes it clear to the club he wants to leave Old Trafford. (Sky Sports), external

Scott McTominay has decided he does not want to head to Turkey this summer, which rules both Galatasaray and Fenerbahce out of the running to sign the Manchester United and Scotland midfielder. (TeamTalk), external

Scotland striker Kevin Nisbet is wanted by Aberdeen, who want to see if a potential loan deal can be agreed with the 27-year-old having fallen down the pecking order with Millwall. (Daily Record), external

Sturm Graz sports director Andreas Schicker has insisted they want to keep Scotland Under-21 right-back Max Johnston despite the 20-year-old being linked with either a loan or permanent move to Oxford United, Stoke City and Swansea City. (Daily Record), external

Read Tuesday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

Napoli retain an interest in Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay, but any deal for the 27-year-old Scotland international would hinge on potential outgoings at the Serie A club first. (Sky Sports), external

Manchester United and Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay has told Napoli head coach Antonio Conte that he would like to make the move to the Serie A club this summer. (La Repubblica via TeamTalk), external

Manchester United will only allow Scott McTominay to leave on loan with an obligation to buy clause and Napoli are not willing to go down that path. (Tuttomercato), external

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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Manchester United will only allow Scott McTominay to leave on loan to Napoli if there is an obligation to buy, but fellow Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour's move from Brighton & Hove Albion should be concluded next week. (Ciro Venarato via Tuttonapoli), external

As it stands, Scott McTominay will remain with Manchester United despite speculation about the Scotland midfielder's future at Old Trafford. (Sky Sports), external

Atalanta and Espanyol are among clubs who have made approaches for Scottish midfielder Andy Irving, who spent last season on loan to Austria Klagenfurt, and there is interest from clubs in Britain and the German Bundesliga as West Ham United decide whether to keep the 24-year-old or loan him out again. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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Oxford United, Stoke City and Swansea City have joined clubs from across Europe interested in signing 20-year-old Scotland Under-21 right-back Max Johnston on loan from Sturm Graz. (Football Insider), external

Kieran Tierney, who is still out of the manager's first team plans after his loan to Real Sociedad, has been spotted for the first time at Arsenal this season after the 27-year-old Scotland defender took part in the club's annual media day. (Football Scotland), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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Former Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack joined the Sportsound team before Philippe Clement's side were dumped out of the Champions League by Dynamo Kyiv and gave an update on his future.

The 32-year-old remains a free agent having left Rangers at the conclusion of last season, but says he is hopeful of finding a club in the near future.

"No club at the minute, no," he said.

"I was in Dubai recently for two weeks, training away, doing a pre-season camp myself, because obviously I knew I wasn't going to have a club by then.

"A guy I know in Dubai has got a training base that he has some players training out of in the off-season, so I had the chance to go over there.

"I just went by myself for two weeks, training every day on the pitch in the gym, just keep myself going.

"Since I've been back, I've just been running by myself, but I'm sitting at this stage now where you see everyone back, you start seeing nights like tonight, and big games coming thick and fast, and you want to be a part of some sort of team.

"Hopefully it's not too long in the future that I've got somewhere sorted."

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The Athletic's Arsenal reporter Jordan Campbell says Scotland defender Kieran Tierney is "realistic" about his Gunners future and likely to seek a move to "kickstart his career."

Tierney, 27, is recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in Scotland's draw with Switzerland during Euro 2024 and isn't expected to be fit until October.

"It looked quite a bad one at the time when he twisted and hurt his hamstring," said Campbell on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"It's obviously been a bit of an Achilles heel for him the last few years, his injury record, it’s been a recurring issue for him.

"I don't think he's going to be back training until later next month, so probably not available really until October at the earliest.

"He's realistic about his chances of playing. Arsenal have just signed Riccardo Calafiori as well, so you've got Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Jurrien Timber and Jakub Kiwior probably all ahead of him now in the pecking order.

"I think he's realistic about where his future lies, but it's going to be difficult to move this summer, just looking at when his injury is going to be. Maybe it'll be a loan or something happens in January for him to move on and really kickstart his career.

"He obviously really enjoyed Real Sociedad last year, but it's sort of finding somewhere else to settle now."

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Callum McGregor says his full focus is on Celtic after calling time on his international career.

Seven years after his debut, the midfielder announced his Scotland retirement last week, and he insists it was the right decision for him personally.

In his first outing since the decision, McGregor scored a wonderful long-range goal as Celtic comfortably beat Hibs at Easter Road as a reminder of his enduring quality.

"It felt like the time was right," the 31-year-old said.

"Sometimes you get a gut feeling for things in football and you have got to trust that.

"I had an amazing international career and lot of success. We managed to get the country back to major tournaments and now hopefully the guys can go on and continue that success. But just for myself it felt like the right time.

"In football as long as you’re happy with what you have achieved, then you can look yourself in the mirror and know you gave it your all.

"That’s been the decision now and I just want to concentrate on club football. We have had a good start to the season and we want to just keep doing that as well."

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Callum McGregor leaves big boots to fill in the Scotland midfield after his international retirement, according to the Celtic captain's former Scotland team-mate Stephen O'Donnell.

McGregor announced decision after seven years in the Scotland set-up, and O'Donnell praised the influence he has had on the international stage.

"As a fan I'm disappointed that he's retired," O'Donnell told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"He's a top player, for the caps he's had, for the consistency he shows over his full career to be honest. But the composure he has and being key in Steve Clarke's team.

"It's a team that's reached the European group stages which is the first time it's happened in 20-odd years. He was a main part of that, an integral part, so it'll be big miss for Scotland.

"Playing with him, he was ever-present. He was always there in training. You never saw him moaning. I know he had an injury this last season but other than that I can't think of many times he was missing."

We asked for your thoughts after Callum McGregor retired from international football.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Danny: A leader and a fantastic player who always kept his head up. He was the glue of the team for a good few years. Shame the Euros went the way they did but a fantastic player nonetheless.

Jim: It’s too soon to retire for Scotland for probably the best player we have at the moment. He always gives 110%.

Iain: McGregor has given Scotland good service and, although still relatively young, has constantly played over 60 games a season and is entitled to have a bit of a rest.

Neil: The right decision from him for a change, unlike when he's in possession.

David: There should be a lot more of them retiring with McGregor. Not one of them played well in the three games at the Euros and the manager too, absolute shambles. I feel absolutely sorry for that fantastic support.

Iain: In my opinion it could be good for everyone. Scotland have a more than adequate replacement in Lewis Ferguson who was already knocking on the door and had it not been for injury would have given a selection headache at the Euros. Brendan Rogers has already outlined the benefit for Celtic and if it is what McGregor has identified to extend his career, give him an extra edge or give him more time with his family it can only be good for him.

David: Top professional and Mr Reliable. He will be a miss, even just his professionalism. It would have been nice for him to stay but at least we are stacked in midfield.

Turkish club Galatasaray are weighing-up a deal for Scotland captain Andy Robertson, who has two years to run on his Liverpool contract. (Aspor - via Daily Record, external)

Napoli are confident they can close a deal with Brighton for Scotland midfielder Billy Gilmour in a few days. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Bristol City and Scotland striker Tommy Conway is in advanced talks with Middlesbrough about a four-year deal, although there is interest from Championship rivals and the Premier League too. (Fabrizio Romano), external

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Former Scotland skipper Scott Brown says Celtic's Callum McGregor has made the "hardest decision in the world" by calling time on his international career.

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Callum McGregor's Scotland retirement will prolong his career and can only benefit Celtic, says manager Brendan Rodgers.

McGregor, 31, played 63 times for his country after making his debut in 2017, and helped Scotland qualify for the last two Euros under Steve Clarke.

Rodgers says McGregor's now-reduced calendar will allow the midfielder to stay fresh throughout the season and continue to play at a high level for years to come.

"I'd obviously spoken to Callum on that and was aware of his intentions," Rodgers said.

"From a selfish perspective, for Celtic it's really good news because he gets the chance to recover - you all know the amount of games he plays.

"This will give him opportunities to have a breather because he's really intense. That's what I love about him, his appetite to improve. He never has a day off ever."

Rodgers was quick to praise McGregor's contribution on the international stage over the last seven years.

"He's been absolutely pivotal to [Scotland's] performance levels and qualifying for the tournaments they have," the Northern Irishman added.

"He is probably now looking at this next part of his career and he knows he will need to look after his body.

"A fantastic career he's had for his country, he can be very proud of that, and now going into the next part of his career, he has all his focus on Celtic."