Harvey Barnes to Scotland latest as Newcastle forward has tongues wagging and friendly plans become clearer

Barnes, whose maternal grandparents are Scottish, has been linked with a switch from England to Scotland since before Euro 2024. An injury meant the speculation died down but the winger is currently in good form for Newcastle United and was recently quizzed about the prospect of switching eligibility live on Sky Sports following a game, although he remained very vague about what he wanted to do.

Speaking earlier today, Clarke said they still had each other’s day’s phone numbers. It is understood the Scotland manager will contact the player’s agent and set up a meeting.

“I will wait and see how it pans out,” he said.

Clarke has always been cautious when it comes to such matters of players switching eligibility, particularly in the sensitive case of moves between England and Scotland.

Elliott Anderson joined the Scotland camp in 2023 but left due to an ‘injury’ before even playing a game and has since been called up by England, with whom he is likely to go next summer’s World Cup. Barnes, who featured in a friendly for England against Wales five years ago, might still feel he has chance to force his way into Thomas Tuchel’s plans having caught the eye by scoring four goals in three games for Newcastle in November.

There is precedence for a player switching nationality before a major tournament. Striker Che Adams did so before Euro 2020 having previously played for England at youth and Under-20 level.

“He was welcomed into the group straightaway,” noted Clarke. “Football players are quite selfish, they like to think if someone is going to help them be better and the team to be better….Like I said, as long as they come and they are committed then I am pretty sure anyone who comes into this group of players will enjoy it. It is a really good, honest, hard-working group of players. Anyone who came in I think will struggle not to enjoy it. Let’s see what happens.”

Friendly matches lined up

If Barnes can satisfy Clarke that he is now fully committed, it’s possible he could make a Scotland debut at the home ground of his club in March. Clarke is looking to organise a friendly, probably against an African country, somewhere in the north of England. Newcastle is a possibility, as is Everton’s Hill Dickinson stadium. There’s already a friendly lined up against Japan at Hampden for the same window, although that has still to be officially confirmed.

Clarke is also looking at a Hampden send-off in late May to coincide with a Glasgow camp following the end of the domestic season.

Then things will really start to ramp up as Scotland head to the United States for a pre-tournament camp, ideally somewhere “hot, sweaty and sticky” like Florida as they seek to acclimatize. Clarke plans to fit in another warm-up game against non-European opposition on either 5 or 6 June.

FIFA have decreed that all competing countries need to be in their base camp for 8 June, which is five days before Scotland play their opening World Cup game against Haiti. A team of SFA representatives, including Steven Naismith, are still in the States doing reconnaissance work to select a team base. Although Scotland play two of their three group games in Boston, they won’t necessarily be based in Massachusetts.

FIFA have sent out a list of approved bases and there is a limited choice near Boston. Scotland could end up staying between Boston and Miami, where they play Brazil in the last group fixture.