Harvey Barnes breaks Scotland silence as Newcastle forward lifts lid on discussions and future

Barnes, 26, returned from a serious knee injury towards the end of last season for his club Newcastle and was mooted for a surprise call-up by Scotland manager Steve Clarke for the Euros earlier this summer. Barnes won his solitary cap for England in a friendly against Wales in 2020 and has been out of the international reckoning since.

Barnes qualifies for Scotland through his grandparents and his future on the international stage is up in the air after England manager Gareth Southgate stood down after the European Championships. FIFA’s eligibility rules state that there must be a three-year gap in between a player’s last match for the country they wish to switch from, which would allow Barnes to defect to Scotland.

When asked about his international ambitions, Barnes continued in an interview with The Athletic: “Well I’m still eligible to play for Scotland. There’s been one or two conversations, but there’s not been too much detail into that. To be honest, I haven’t really brought it in as part of my thought process yet. It’s not really been a serious conversation, so it’s not something I’ve really thought too much on. But I know I am still eligible to play for Scotland.”

Barnes was asked what he thought of the name 'Harvey McBarnes' and he replied: “It’s something I haven’t really thought about. And I especially have been out of the picture for England for a while now, the main focus is to get back, first of all playing for Newcastle, and then see what happens.”