LONDON (Reuters) – Newcastle midfielder Elliot Anderson’s international preference has become a sub-plot ahead of Scotland’s friendly against England on Tuesday, with both nations keen on the 20-year-old.
England-born Anderson was selected for Scotland’s squad for the Euro 2024 qualifier against Cyprus but pulled out with an injury, which means his options remain open.
Scotland boss Steve Clarke and England manager Gareth Southgate are keeping tabs on Anderson who played for Scotland at various age groups and made his Under 21 debut last year.
“We like the player as well. Elliot will still have that choice to make,” Clarke said.
“When I come out of this camp I will look at what we have done, what we’ve had, what’s occurred over this camp. We will do a debrief and then we will shape what we do from there.”
Anderson’s withdrawal from the Scotland squad was not lost on Southgate.
“Obviously, he was called into their squad earlier in the week and I don’t know what the position is at the moment. I saw he’s pulled out,” Southgate said.
“Let’s see — he’s definitely a player we like.”
Anderson was born in Whitley Bay in England but qualifies for Scotland through his Glasgow-born grandmother.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
