NEWCASTLE UNITED winger Harvey Barnes is considering making a surprise international switch to play for Scotland rather than England.
Barnes has won one senior international cap with England, having appeared as a second-half substitute for Gareth Southgate’s side in 3-0 win over Wales in October 2020.
However, as that game was a friendly, he is not yet committed to playing international football for England. The 25-year-old is also eligible to play for Scotland as he has Scottish grandparents.
He was not selected in Southgate’s squad for Saturday’s Euros qualifying draw with Ukraine and Tuesday’s friendly with Scotland at Hampden Park, and does not appear to feature in the England manager’s plans for next summer’s Euros finals in Germany.
His position has not gone unnoticed north of the border, with Scotland officials understood to have sounded out the possibility of Barnes switching allegiances.
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The Magpies winger is reportedly considering making himself available for selection for Scotland, with Steve Clarke open to the possibility of selecting him in his squad.
Whereas Barnes is well down the pecking order with England, he would be a potential starter for Scotland, who have all but guaranteed their own place at next summer’s finals.
Barnes’ team-mate, Elliot Anderson, is also the subject of an international tussle between Scotland and England, albeit that he could make a switch in the opposite direction.
Anderson, who has represented Scotland at Under-21 level, was selected in Clarke’s squad for Friday’s Euros qualifier with Cyprus and the friendly with England, but withdrew because of an injury issue last week. As a result, he remains eligible to play for either England or Scotland in the future.
Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney is in a similar position, although he seems to have decided that he wants to play for England.
Hackney, who has played for Scotland Under-21s in the past, is part of the England Under-21s squad preparing for a Euros qualifier in Luxembourg on Monday evening.
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