Newcastle head coach Steve Bruce has warned that it would be a “gamble” for Scotland to take midfielder Ryan Fraser to Euro 2020.
Scotland boss Steve Clarke is due to name his squad for the rescheduled tournament on Wednesday with the Magpies winger having not kicked a ball in anger since March because of a groin injury.
Asked about Fraser’s fitness on Tuesday, Bruce said: “It has been a difficult time for him. He does desperately need a pre-season, pre-season is huge for him.
“Whether he’s going to be picked in the Scotland squad, I would think that would be a gamble too since he’s missed the last six, seven weeks playing no real football or training.
“With the problems Scotland have got and 26 players, I don’t know, but it’s certainly a gamble. But pre-season is key to him because he didn’t have a pre-season the season before, last year’s was a non-entity really in terms of pre-season, so he’s got a big summer ahead of him.”
Fraser has not played since scoring for his country in World Cup qualifiers against Israel and the Faroe Islands in March.
The 27-year-old, who joined Newcastle from Bournemouth last summer, has endured a frustrating first campaign on Tyneside. He has made 22 appearances in all competitions, 10 of them as a substitute, and scoring one goal on his debut, a Carabao Cup second-round winner against Blackburn in September.
Former Magpies assistant manager Clarke has already lost Rangers midfielder Ryan Jack and Norwich counterpart Kenny McLean to injury ahead of the finals.
