Why injury-ravaged Scotland have brought forgotten man Lewis Morgan back in from cold for Euro 2024

Winger is summoned by Clarke just a day before squad has to be finalised

Lewis Morgan is the latest player to be called into the Scotland squad as manager Steve Clarke analyses his options for Euro 2024.

On the back of forwards Lyndon Dykes and Ben Doak withdrawing due to injury over the past five days, Clarke has now added to his attacking ranks by summoning 27-year-old Morgan, who can play either as a winger or a wide attacker. Currently playing in the MLS with New York Red Bulls, the former Celtic and St Mirren man has been in good form over in the States. Morgan has two caps to his name, both of which came in 2018 as a late substitute in matches again Peru and Mexico.

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Why Morgan is back in

Lewis Morgan has been in excellent form for New York Red Bulls this season.Lewis Morgan has been in excellent form for New York Red Bulls this season.
Lewis Morgan has been in excellent form for New York Red Bulls this season.

It represents a return to the Scotland set-up from the international wilderness for Morgan, who struggled to make the breakthrough at Celtic between 2018 and 2020 after signing from St Mirren. He had loan spells back in Paisley and with Sunderland before making the move across the Atlantic to Inter Miami. He has been at New York Red Bulls since 2022 and has scored nine goals in 16 matches this season, laying on four assists. He is widely viewed as one of the league’s in-form players right now after missing much of last season due to injury.

Speaking back in March on the back of scoring a hat-trick against Inter Miami, Morgan said then of his Scotland prospects: “It's definitely something that no player would ever close the door on. To represent your country would be unbelievable. One thing I can say is that Steve Clarke and the squad have been amazing. They've all earned their spot and I'm not going to sit here – especially after one game or the start of the season – and say, ‘Oh, I should be in that squad’.

“Of course, I believe I've got the ability and that I could bring something to it. But I think the players there have earned their spot. At the moment with the year I had last year, I'm just focusing on being healthy. I'd love nothing more than to play for Scotland – it's a massive ambition of mine. But I'm also a little bit older now and I know what will be will be. I can only focus on myself. If it's enough – and maybe there's more performances like this – then maybe I'll have a chance. If not, then I'll be supporting the team.”

Friendly chance

Morgan made his international debut for Scotland against Peru in 2018 - his only two caps came that year.Morgan made his international debut for Scotland against Peru in 2018 - his only two caps came that year.
Morgan made his international debut for Scotland against Peru in 2018 - his only two caps came that year.

Morgan will now get a chance to stake his claim for a place in Scotland’s final 26-man European Championships squad on Friday night when they take on Finland in the nation’s final warm-up match at Hampden. Clarke has until 11pm on Friday to submit his squad to UEFA and is likely to also cast his eye over Bristol City striker Tommy Conway, who was brought into the squad on Tuesday. Scotland’s forward options have been decimated by the injuries to Dykes and Doak, with only Southampton’s Che Adams and Hearts’ Lawrence Shankland as recognised strikers before the call-ups for Conway and Morgan.

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Scotland defeated Gibraltar 2-0 on Monday in the first pre-Euro 2024 friendly. After taking on the Finns in Glasgow, Scotland will fly over to their tournament training base in Bavaria ahead of facing host-nation Germany in the tournament curtain-raiser in Munich. They then head to Cologne to take on Switzerland on Wednesday, June 19 before concluding their Group A fixtures against Hungary on Sunday, June 23 in Stuttgart.

Injury issues

Scotland are aiming to reach the knock-out phase of a major competition for the first time, but preparations have been hampered by a slew of injuries to senior squad members. In addition to Dykes and Doak, principal right-backs Aaron Hickey and Nathan Patterson have been ruled out due to hamstring issues, while Lewis Ferguson – a star midfielder in Serie A with Bologna this season – underwent surgery on his knee in April after suffering a cruciate ligament injury. There are also slight fitness concerns over centre-halves John Souttar and Liam Cooper, the latter of whom came off injured against Gibraltar.

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