Scotland head coach Steve Clarke will be glad the European Championships don't start tomorrow. If so, he would be without eight squad regulars who are currently injured.

However, with just 52 days left until the tournament opener against hosts Germany, the Scotland boss will be hoping that the injury picture improves between now and then.

Clarke will name a provisional squad ahead next month ahead of the final two warm-up matches against Gibraltar on June 3 and Finland on June 7 before confirming his final selection, with UEFA set to rubberstamp an increase in squad sizes from 23 to 26 players this week.

Scotland players (from left) Aaron Hickey, Billy Gilmour and Grant Hanley are all hoping to return from injury in time for Euro 2024. (Photo by Ewan Bootman / SNS Group)

Here is a breakdown of the eight currently injured Scotland players and their prognosis ahead of Euro 2024:

Aaron Hickey

The Brentford right-back is very much touch and go. Hickey has not kicked a ball since injuring his hamstring in October with complications in his recovery leading to an extended period on the sidelines. His manager Thomas Frank has admitted the 21-year-old is unlikely to play again before the end of the season, placing his participation in Germany very much in doubt with match fitness also likely to be an issue for the former Hearts and Bologna youngster. However, he is determined to “give it a real go” and will be given every chance to prove his fitness after emerging as one of the stars of the successful qualification campaign.

Nathan Patterson

Another right-back who is a major doubt for Euro 2024, the Everton youngster has undergone surgery on a hamstring injury sustained against Chelsea last week. He has started each of Scotland's last five matches in place of the injured Hickey but if both fail to recover in time then Steve Clarke faces the propsect of going into the tournament with a third-choice right-back, likely to be Celtic's Anthony Ralston, who has been involved in the most recent squads, while Max Johnston of Sturm Graz has also been called up over the past 12 months.

Grant Hanley

The Norwich centre-back was a cornerstone of the Euro 2021 squad, starting all three matches against the Czech Republic, England and Croatia. Since then, his international appearances have been limited by injury. The last of his 48 caps came in the 2-0 win over Spain at Hampden more than 12 months ago while he has been involved in just nine games this campaign after a disrupted return from a serious Achilles injury sustained at the end of last season. He he hasn't played for Norwich since March 6 but remains hopeful of making the Euro 2024 squad with the "slight possibility" he could return for the penultimate league match of the season against Swansea this weekend.

Billy Gilmour

Images of the Brighton midfielder in a knee brace following Scotland's 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland at Hampden last month brought the Tartan Army out in a cold sweat. The 22-year-old has not played since but is said to be recovering well and is in line to make his comeback before the end of the Premier League season. That will come as a relief to Scotland with Gilmour emerging as a key player for the national side since bursting onto the scene with a man of the match performance against England in a goalless draw at Wembley in the previous Euros three years ago. Initial reports indicate that he could be back for Brighton's game against Bournemouth on April 28.

Lewis Ferguson

The Bologna captain has been ruled out of the Euros with a serious knee injury, which is a major setback for Scotland given the season he has had in Serie A. Prior to suffering a “devastating” ACL tear against Monza earlier this month, the 23-year-old had started almost every match this season, contributing six goals and five assists, having led the club to the brink of qualifcaition for the Champions League for the first time since 1964. While has has struggled to break into the Scotland starting line-up due to strong competition in midfield, he was expected to feature highly in Clarke's plans for the finals in Germany and his absence will be felt.

Stuart Armstrong

The Southampton midfielder faces a race against time to be fit for Euro 2024 after he was carried off on a stretcher during the 2-1 defeat at Cardiff on Saturday. Armstrong won his 50th international cap in last month’s 1-0 defeat by Northern Ireland at Hampden Park and has consistently been a part of Steve Clarke’s squad. He is unlikely to play for his club again this season but Saints boss Russell Martin hopes he will be available for his country this summer. “It’s his quad, it’s a muscle injury,” Martin told the Southampton website. “We’ll do everything we can to get him fit for the Euros for Scotland. I think he has a big chance for that."

Ryan Jack

The Rangers midfielder has rarely missed a Scotland squad when available but fitness issues have continued to plague the 32-year-old this season placing his Euro 2024 involvement in jeopardy. Jack missed out on a place in the Euro 2021 squad through injury so is keen to play a part in Germany this summer, but with only five appearances this calendar year, the last of which came against Ayr United in the Scottish Cup back on February 10, those hopes would seem to be dimishing. In his latest update on the player's condition, Rangers manager Philippe Clement said: "We are looking at other solutions to get him back, it is a long-term calf issue and I don't want to risk bringing him back and causing a further injury - we are looking at long-term solutions."

Jacob Brown

The Luton Town forward was handed his first start for Scotland in the 3-3 draw with Norway last November after earning his previous seven caps off the bench. Brown would have hoped to kick on from there but he missed the most recent international camp last month due to injury. The 25-year-old has been sidelined since February after being ruled out for the "foreseeable" future with knee cartilage damage. Whether he returns in time to push for selection for Euro 2024 remains to be seen with Luton having only four Premier League fixtures remaining.

Scotland Euro 2024: Eight injured squad members including Billy Gilmour and Aaron Hickey have return hopes rated

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