Premier League star at centre of £38m summer transfer 'considering swapping England for Scotland'

Harvey Barnes celebrates after scoring on his Newcastle debut against Aston Villa. (Photo by IAN HODGSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Newcastle United forward Harvey Barnes is considering switching international allegiance from England to Scotland, it has been claimed.

The 25-year-old is eligible to play for Scotland through his grandparents and while he has turned down Scottish advances in the past, according to The Times, he is now open to the prospect of receiving a call-up to Steve Clarke's squad.

Barnes has represented England at every age group from U-18 through to senior level, but his solitary senior cap came in a friendly - a substitute appearance against Wales in October 2020 - meaning the door has not closed on a switch to Scotland.

An injury ruined his hopes of earning an England call-up for the delayed Euro 2020 and he has since fallen out of the international picture having failed to make Gareth Southgate's provisional squad of 55 for the 2022 World Cup.

Newcastle paid Leicester City a reported fee of £38m for Barnes in the summer after he scored 45 goals in 187 appearances for the Foxes, who were relegated to the Championship at the end of last season. He also scored on his Magpies debut in the 5-1 win over Aston Villa on the opening day of the Premier League season.

Another Newcastle player with ties to England, midfielder Elliot Anderson, was called up by Scotland for the first time last week but withdrew from the squad with an injury before Friday’s 3-0 win over Cyprus.

Scotland are on the cusp of securing a place at Euro 2024 in Germany next summer after winning all five of their qualifiers to date and could seal their place on Tuesday if the match between Norway and Georgia in Oslo ends in a draw.