Steve Clarke ‘set to hand EFL star first ever Scotland call-up at age of 28’

STEVE CLARKE is facing a selection headache for his next Scotland squad – and it could lead to a surprise debut for one EFL star.

The national team boss will be without several of his top players for the Nations League double-header against Croatia and Portugal due to injury, most notably Kieran Tierney and Scott McKenna.

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Indeed it’s in defence where Clarke has the biggest issues, with Liam Cooper only making his debut for CSKA Sofia at the weekend.

Jack Hendry also missed out on the last squad and hasn’t played this season for Al-Ettifaq and there are longer-term injuries to full-backs Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson.

It could mean Josh Doig and Max Johnston are included in the Nations League squad once again after being called up last time round against Poland and Portugal.

But the major headline, according to the Daily Mail, is that Clarke is set to call up Liam Lindsay to the national team for the first time – at the age of 28.

Lindsay broke through at Partick Thistle and played over 71 times for the Jags before a move down south with Barnsley in 2017.

His initial form at Oakwell led to punters tipping him for a Scotland call-up at the time but the Tykes hit a bad run of form and eventually suffered relegation.

Lindsay bounced back the following season and formed a strong partnership with Ethan Pinnock in League One and won a move to Stoke City for £2m.

But he never settled there and was loaned out to Preston North End 18 months after joining the Potters.

Since joining Preston on a permanent basis, Lindsay has gone from strength to strength and is now on the verge of becoming an international player.

Clarke will also be considering whether to include Ben Doak in his squad again, after he scored his first senior goal at the weekend for Middlesbrough while Rangers midfielder Connor Barron could make his debut.

Che Adams could find himself back in the squad too after hitting top form for Torino in Serie A, with his new club top of the table.

Controversy surrounded his absence from the last round of fixtures, with doubts cast over how unfit he truly was.

Clarke will name his squad for the upcoming games tomorrow.

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