Overview
- Barnes remains eligible for Scotland through his grandparents despite a single England appearance in a 2020 friendly against Wales.
- The Newcastle winger scored twice in a 2-1 win over Manchester City and declined to commit on his international future, saying it was not on his mind yet.
- Steve Clarke has previously discussed a switch with Barnes and said the next phone call would not come from him.
- Supporters are split on adding a player who did not feature in qualifying, even as Scotland assess attacking depth with Ben Gannon-Doak sidelined after hamstring surgery.
- Barnes’ form strengthens his case, with six goals in 18 games this season, three in four Champions League matches, and 15 goals plus seven assists since the start of last season.