Oli McBurnie is back in the Scotland squad and could be facing Cristiano Ronaldo later this month – but Cardiff City’s Callum Paterson has been left out.
Swansea City striker McBurnie was forced to pull out of last month’s matches through injury, but his four goals for the Swans in the Championship to date this season have kept him very much uppermost in the mind of Scotland manager Alex McLeish.
The Scots currently top their group in the new Nations League campaign and are due to meet Ronaldo’s Portuguese side, the reigning European champions, in a friendly in Glasgow on 14 October.
Before then they face a Nations League clash in Israel as they seek to qualify for their first major championships since 1998.
McBurnie missed matches against Belgium and Albania last mont, but McLeish said McBurnie “was in good scoring form” before his recent foot injury and was encouraged by his performance in Swansea’s 3-0 Championship win over Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
“He didn’t score, but he made a couple of goals and was very lively,” he said. “It would be great to see Oli get off the mark in a Scotland jersey.”
But while the Swansea striker is celebrating his call-up, there is still no place for Cardiff City’s Paterson in the squad.
Paterson has started five of Cardiff’s seven Premier league matches so far this season, but it appears he is yet to convince McLeish he is worth a recall.
Scotland squad
Goalkeepers: Craig Gordon (Celtic), Allan McGregor (Rangers), Jon McLaughlin (Sunderland).
Defenders: Jack Hendry (Celtic), Scott McKenna (Aberdeen), Charlie Mulgrew (Blackburn Rovers), Stephen O’Donnell (Kilmarnock), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), Graeme Shinnie (Aberdeen), John Souttar (Heart of Midlothian), Kieran Tierney (Celtic).
Midfielders: Stuart Armstrong (Southampton), James Forrest (Celtic), Ryan Fraser (Bournemouth), Kevin McDonald (Fulham), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Callum McGregor (Celtic), Scott McTominay (Manchester United), Robert Snodgrass (West Ham United).
Forwards: Leigh Griffiths (Celtic), Oliver McBurnie (Swansea), Steven Naismith (Heart of Midlothian), Johnny Russell (Sporting Kansas City).