Steve Clarke will not make fresh approach for Che Adams to join Scotland set-up

Scotland manager Steve Clarke will not make any fresh approach to call up Southampton striker Che Adams.

Clarke’s predecessor Alex McLeish failed in a bid to persuade the former England Under-20 international, who was then a Birmingham player, to switch allegiances in February 2019.

Reports last month claimed Adams would possibly reconsider and that Scotland were still monitoring his progress.

But Clarke insists any move must come from the 24-year-old, who has scored four Premier League goals for Southampton this season.

The Scotland boss told Sky Sports: “I’m not having any conversations with Che. He’s been approached before about playing for the Scotland national team and I believe – I don’t know for a fact, but I believe – he was approached before and decided that he was going to wait, he didn’t want to commit to Scotland.

“I’m a Scotsman, born and bred, and I think if people have been approached to play for Scotland and turned us down, then the onus should be on them to come back and say, ‘listen, I’ve had a rethink, I want to be part of the Scotland national team.’ They could maybe come to us and ask if we’d consider him.

“I’ve got Stuart Armstrong at Southampton. I’m sure Stuart’s in his ear all the time telling him how good it is to be part of the Scotland national squad.

“If I can get one or two players to come in and help the squad, that would be great. But if I have to go with the squad of players that qualified us for the first time in 23 years, then that’s what I will do.

“Those players have been magnificent for me and I think it’s very, very, important that I show that loyalty.”

Meanwhile, Clarke admits he hopes to get Scott McTominay back into midfield one day but will not upset the balance of his team to do so.

McTominay has been playing on the right of a back three for Scotland in recent games but the Manchester United midfielder showed his attacking prowess by firing in two impressive goals against Leeds at the weekend.

“Eventually I’d like to get Scott back into midfield, if I could do,” Clarke said.

“But I won’t upset the balance of the team, or the shape of the team, just to do that.

“If I haven’t got the right personnel to play the three-at-the-back system, then maybe I will go back to a four.

“There will be plenty of matches where two central defenders will be enough and then there will be a chance for Scott to go back into midfield.”