The City ace has 15 goals and eight assists in 35 outings this term
Oli McBurnie netted his 15th goal of the season in league and cup at Bramall Lane(Image: Mark Sutton/Getty Images)
Oli McBurnie says he’s spoken to Scotland boss Steve Clarke to find out what it would take to force his way back into the squad, but admits it’s looking unlikely at this stage.
McBurnie notched his 15th goal of an impressive season for Hull City against former club Sheffield United on Saturday, as the Tigers eventually lost in controversial style.
The Tigers talisman hasn’t played for the Tartan Army in five years, but given his fine form since arriving at the MKM Stadium last summer, there has been a growing clamour to see his international exile ended ahead of this summer’s World Cup, especially given Clarke’s goalscoring concerns.
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No Scotland forward has more goals than the City star this season, with McBurnie missing two months of the Championship campaign, which halted what had been an electric start.
Torino’s Che Adams has managed just five goals in 29 games this term, albeit in Serie A, while Lyndon Dkyes has three in 17 for Charlton Athletic. The closest challenger to McBurnie is Hearts’ forward Lawrence Shankland, with 13 goals and four assists in 24 in the Scottish Premiership.
Though McBurnie has been on Clarke’s reserve list in recent international squads, he hasn’t played for his country since an appearance off the bench in the 4-0 World Cup 2022 qualification win over the Faroe Islands at the end of March 2021.
“I don’t really sit anywhere,” he told Hull Live. “I rang the manager when his last squad was getting announced, just to kind of see his feelings on things. He said to me that he builds his squads on loyalty, and that Che (Adams) and Dikesy (Dikes) have done really well for him, so he sees them two ahead of me.
“He doesn’t see me as a third or fourth-choice striker, so he’s comparing me against Che and Dikesy, and he sees them ahead of me.
“Listen, I’d do anything to get back into that Scotland squad. I feel like I’m playing as well as I have done in however long, and all I can do is keep performing for Hull and see where it gets me.”
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