Scotland Men's Football Team

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.

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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.

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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

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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."

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Steve Clarke's Scotland will face Greece, Belarus, and the loser of the Nations League quarter-final tie between Portugal and Denmark in March.

Here's how the Scots have fared in previous meetings against those four nations.

Portugal

Scotland have faced Portugal 17 times over the years, winning four, drawing four and losing nine.

Clarke's side played Portugal home and away in the recent Nations League. Cristiano Ronaldo's late goal earned the Portuguese a 2-1 win in Lisbon in September, before a battling performance at Hampden helped Scotland play out a goalless draw in October.

Roberto Martínez's side are currently sixth in the Fifa rankings, and their best World Cup finish was in 1966, where they beat the Soviet Union in a third-place play-off.

Denmark

Scotland have won 11 of their 18 matches against Denmark, with there yet to be a draw.

The nations most recently played each other during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Denmark won 2-0 in Copenhagen, before goals from John Souttar and Che Adams earned Scotland a 2-0 win at Hampden.

The Danes are 21st in the Fifa rankings, and their best World Cup finish was in 1998, when they reached the quarter-finals.

Greece

Scotland have only ever played Greece twice, but will meet them four times next year.

The Scots won 1-0 and lost 1-0 against Greece during Euro 96 qualifying, as Craig Brown's side reached the finals in England.

Clarke's side face Greece home and away in their two-legged Nations League play-off next March, as they attempt to retain their top-level status in the competition.

Greece are 39th in Fifa's rankings, and their best World Cup finish was a last-16 spot in 2014.

Belarus

Scotland have played Belarus on four previous occasions.

The Scots won home and away during the 1998 World Cup qualifiers, and also played the Belarussians in 2006 World Cup qualifying, when a goalless draw in Belarus was followed by a 1-0 win for the visitors at Hampden Park.

Belarus have never qualified for a World Cup finals and are ranked 98th in the Fifa rankings.

Scotland have been drawn with Portugal or Denmark as well as Greece and Belarus in Group C of 2026 World Cup qualifying.

The group winner progresses 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.

The loser of Portugal and Denmark's two-legged Nations League A quarter-final in March will be in Scotland's section.

Steve Clarke's side also face the Greeks in the Nations League play-offs in March, with a place in division A on the line.

With the Scots aiming to reach a World Cup for the first time since 1998, what do you make of the draw? Are you confident of Scotland's chances?

Share your views, external

Rangers are still in pole position to sign 29-year-old Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland, who is out of contract with Heart of Midlothian next summer, when the transfer window opens in January. (Football Insider), external

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has told BBC Scotland he is desperate to see 27-year-old Scotland left-back Greg Taylor end speculation over his future with the club by signing a new contract beyond the summer. (The Herald On Sunday), external

Aston Villa fans have been raving on social media about Scotland midfielder John McGinn's performance in Saturday's win over Southampton, saying it was their captain's best of the season. (The Boot Room), external

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Liverpool are keeping tabs on the progress of both Fulham's Antonee Robinson and Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez as they line up moves to sign potential replacements for Scotland left-back Andy Robertson. (Football Insider), external

Scottish midfielder Liam Henderson, who provided two assists and scored in a penalty shootout as Empoli overcame Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia this week, will be monitored by a number of clubs and will speak to potential suitors next month with the 28-year-old's current contract set to expire at the end of the season. (The Scotsman), external

Former Real Madrid, Brighton and Scotland Under-21 forward Jack Harper, now playing with Linense in Spain's fourth tier, says he lost more than a year of his career to a mystery auto-immune problem while the 28-year-old was on loan to Alcorcon from Getafe. (Scottish Sun), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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John Carver says his primary focus is on Lechia Gdansk after Steve Clarke's Scotland assistant was appointed head coach of the Polish club.

The 59-year-old will remain part of Clarke's coaching staff for Scotland's Nations League play-off against Greece in March, but says his plan is to rush back to his club side after that international camp.

When asked about how he will balance the two roles, Carver praised the "cooperation" between the SFA and Lechia since he took the role in Poland's top flight.

"The cooperation between Scotland and the club has been very good," Carver said.

"What I will guarantee is this: while I'm here, all my energy will go into this team.

"Back in Scotland we have so many good people working behind the scenes to make sure the preparation is right for that March camp.

"When I do go to Scotland for those 10 days, I know I'm in good hands with the guys who are left behind. I've just met the staff and they've been really impressive. I can trust them, and I have to trust them to make sure the ship is running properly when I'm not here.

"I guarantee I'll be on the earliest flight possible back here to get on with my work."

Carver's deal with Lechia runs until the end of the season, with an option to extend for additional year.