EPL club sign 29 y/o Scotland international - but it may not be good news for Steve Clarke

Goalkeeper Angus Gunn has joined the list of established squad members currently plying their trade in England's top flight after signing for Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.

Gunn was a free agent after being released by Norwich City at the end of last season. He spent four years as a permanent player at Carrow Road after a previous loan spell and claimed there was no explanation offered for not being offered a new contract.

However, he will now make the leap from the English Championship to the EPL after joining Forest on a one-year contract. "I am really happy to be here,” Gunn told the club website. “This is a historic club on an exciting journey and I’m looking forward to being a part of it and getting to work. I’m joining a good group of keepers, and I believe my experience will add something to the team. I can’t wait to get going."

While the move can be viewed as good one on a personal level for Gunn, it may not be ideal as far as Scotland are concerned.

Head coach Clarke is facing a conundrum in the goalkeeper department ahead of the World Cup qualifiers starting next month with Hearts veteran Craig Gordon, now 42, injured and no other keeper other than Gunn staking a firm claim for the gloves in recent times.

Gunn was number one at Norwich and has been first pick for Scotland when fit over the past two-and-a-half years since switching allegience from England, earning 16 caps including starting every match at Euro 2024 last summer.

However, his move to Forest will likely see him sit on the bench most weeks as back-up to first-choice goalkeeper Matz Sels, who won the Golden Glove last season and will be the club’s number one custodian for the 2025-26 campaign after signing a new deal.

A lack of club minutes for Gunn could count against him at international level, which is also an issue for Liam Kelly, the Rangers back-up, who was a Scotland squad regular over several years but has missed out on recent selections.

Ipswich Town youngster Cieran Slicker is unlikely to receive a call-up for the September qualifiers away to Denmark and Belarus after his horror debut against Iceland in June when he replaced the injured Gunn after just five minutes, while Ross Doohan, who stepped in at the last minute to face Liechtenstein in the next match, is now third-choice at Celtic following his transfer from Aberdeen this summer.

The situation could see a return to the Scotland fold for Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark, who has started the new campaign as the Tynecastle club's number one in Gordon’s absence. He has been capped four times, most recently against Gibraltar in June last year prior to the Euros. Other recent call-ups such as Robby McCrorie of Kilmarnock and Dundee’s Jon McCracken have yet to be capped and have been unconvincing at times for their clubs.

Clarke addressed the Scotland goalkeeper dilemma during the June camp. “It’s something that we have to address and something we have to look at. It’s not going to change in a click of a finger. It’s not going to change quickly. It’s more for the long term and probably for the next head coach and the next head coach after that.”