Scotland Men's Football Team

Winger Findlay Curtis should "definitely" be in the Scotland squad for this summer's World Cup after scoring four goals in 13 appearances on loan at Kilmarnock, says Sportscene pundit and former Livingston boss Marvin Bartley.

Tommy Conway appears to now be a major doubt for Scotland's World Cup campaign after the 23-year-old striker left the pitch in tears after picking up an injury during Middlesbrough's promotion play-off semi-final defeat by Southampton. (Daily Record), external

Celtic passed on signing Lewis Ferguson before the Scotland midfielder was sold for £2.5m by Aberdeen to Bologna in 2022 because they felt he was not good enough at penalty kicks, according to the 26-year-old's agent. (Glasgow Times), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Bologna are targeting Kieron Bowie, who faces relegation with Serie A rivals Hellas Verona, with Scotland team-mate Lewis Ferguson encouraging his club to move for the 23-year-old striker who was sold by Hibernian in January. (La Gazzetta dello Sport via Tutto Mercato Web), external

Oli McBurnie believes he has done everything he possibly can to receive an international recall with Scotland for this summer's World Cup after the 29-year-old striker's 17 goals helped Hull City to the Championship play-offs. (iPaper), external

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Image source, Getty Images

Promoted Venezia have submitted an offer of £3.9m for Scotland left-back Josh Doig and are confident of sealing an agreement to sign the 23-year-old from next season's Serie A rivals, Sassuolo. (Tutto Mercato Web), external

Celtic have now scouted Scott McKenna four times as they continue to show interest in the 29-year-old Scotland centre-half who has helped Dinamo Zagreb win the Croatian league title. (Jutarnji), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland striker Kieron Bowie scored his second goal in three games as already relegated Hellas Verona held out for a creditable 1-1 draw away to fourth-top Juventus in Serie A.

Bowie's scuffed near-post shot from 12 yards gave the visitors the lead against the run of play after 34 minutes.

Dusan Vlahovic's curling free-kick levelled the game just after the hour mark.

Second-bottom Verona held on for a second draw in succession, but they are without a win in seven games, their return to Serie B having been confirmed by Lecce's win over Pisa on Friday.

Bowie has scored three times in 11 appearances for Verona since the 23-year-old's January transfer from Hibernian.

Meanwhile, Scotland team-mates Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour have missed out on a second successive Serie A title after Internazionale established an unassailable 12-point lead with a 2-0 win over Parma on Sunday.

The midfield duo's second-top Napoli side had been held to a 0-0 draw away to Como on Saturday, with McTominay starting and Gilmour an unused substitute.

Fellow Scotland midfielder Lennon Miller started for Udinese in their 2-0 win on Saturday over a Torino side for whom striker Che Adams was missing through injury.

Midfielder Lewis Ferguson was a late substitute for Bologna in their 0-0 draw at home to Cagliari, while left-back Josh Doig was an unused substitute as Sassuolo beat third-top AC Milan 2-0.

Image source, Getty Images

Four Scottish World Cup striker hopefuls finished the regular Championship season with a flourish to add to head coach Steve Clarke's potential selection dilemma.

George Hirst, who has earned eight caps since his first call up just over a year ago, opened the scoring for Ipswich Town and set up the second for Jaden Philogene as they beat Queens Park Rangers 3-0 to secure second spot and promotion back to the Premier League.

The recently recalled Tommy Conway opened the scoring for Middlesbrough as they drew 2-2 away to Wrexham to finish fifth and set up a semi-final against Southampton.

Ross Stewart, who earned his last Scotland cap in June 2022, scored Saints' second goal as they beat Preston North End 3-1 to secure fourth spot and set up the tie against Conway's side.

Meanwhile, Oli McBurnie continued his push for a first Scotland call-up in five years by scoring twice as Hull City came from a goal behind to beat Norwich City and secure sixth place and a semi-final against Millwall.

His first came from the penalty spot and his second took his total for the season to 18.

Fellow 29-year-old Stewart has scored 10 times during a season curtailed by injury but has now found the net seven times in his latest 14 outings.

Conway is on 13, the 23-year-old having scored five in his latest six outings, while 27-year-old Hirst now has 11 for the season.

In contrast, Lyndon Dykes, who has been favoured by Clarke in recent seasons along with Torino's Che Adams, failed to score for the sixth game running despite the 30-year-old starting up front for Charlton Athletic in a 3-1 defeat by Swansea City and has six for the season.

Meanwhile, Scotland-capped right-back Liam Palmer scored already relegated Sheffield Wednesday's second goal as former Scotland midfielder James Morrison suffered defeat in his first game since being named West Bromwich Albion manager on a permanent basis.

Atletico Madrid are set to rival Tottenham for Scotland captain and left-back Andy Robertson, 32, who has confirmed he will leave Liverpool when his contract expires in June. (Record), external

Everton have set their sights on 31-year-old Aston Villa and Scotland midfielder John McGinn. (Football Insider), external

Monday's Scottish gossip

Image source, SNS

"This is the best group ever to lead."

Those are the words of Scotland captain Andy Robertson after collecting the Scottish Football Writers' Association Men's International Player of the Year award on behalf of the entire squad.

Manager Steve Clarke has been fiercely loyal to a core group who have now taken Scotland to consecutive major tournaments and the World Cup for the first time since 1998.

And Robertson believes the togetherness within the camp is a key factor in their success as they prepare to face Haiti, Morocco and Brazil in the United States in June.

"Being able to collect this on behalf of the whole squad is a really nice touch," said the 32-year-old.

"To pick one player out would have been really difficult. For the whole squad to get recognised is nice.

"This is the best group ever to lead. That's not me exaggerating. It's full of good people. It's full of people with no ego at all and we all fight for the same cause.

"We all just want to send everyone inside Hampden home happy. That's the good thing about it.

"International squads can be big, maybe a 23 to 26-man squad. So you need everyone fighting in the same direction, whether you play or don't play.

"We've got a very rare group who does that. They're all supportive and that's why we can achieve what we've achieved.

"We want to go and achieve a lot of good things in the summer as well and give the whole country something to shout about."

Scotland are also in serious contention for Women's World Cup qualification, leading the way in their group on goal difference following two draws with Belgium this month.

Captain Caroline Weir, who won the SFWA Women's International Player of the Year award, said: "We wanted to hit the ground running. We put a lot of groundwork in at the end of last year when Mel (Andreatta, head coach) came in, but obviously where it counts is in competitive matches.

"I think what the men have achieved has been unbelievable. What that does for football fans in Scotland, and for the country as a whole, is amazing to see.

"Of course, it makes us want it even more. We want to be part of that. We want to be doing it this time next year. Of course I'm dreaming about it. We all are. We all want to be there."

Scotland defender Jack Hendry has been offered a lucrative deal by Al-Hilal as the 30-year-old prepares to leave Saudi rivals Al-Ettifaq as a free agent this summer. (Glasgow Times), external

Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson backs striker Kevin Nisbet for a Scotland World Cup call-up. (Record - subscription required), external

Robinson challenges 11-times capped Nisbet, 29, to make a late push for the World Cup. (Press and Journal - subscription required), external

Tuesday's Scottish gossip