Scotland manager Steve Clarke believes Chelsea starlet Billy Gilmour could break into the national side this year.
But he insists the former Rangers kid's performances at Stamford bridge will dictate when he gets his first cap.
The 19-year-old was just starting to break into Frank Lampard's team in the weeks leading up to when football was locked down due to coronavirus.
However, Gilmour was an unused substitute in Chelsea's 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Sunday.
He could yet get his first chance since the restart in Thursday night's potential title decider as the Blues face Manchester City, where anything but a win for Pep Guardiola's side will finally hand Liverpool the title.
Clarke suggested Gilmour could be involved around the time of Scotland's Euro 2021 playoff push in October and November, but it could also be later depending on his game time and performance levels.
But he's certain he'll become a star player on Hampden soil at some point.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Clarke said: “They haven’t played a lot of games since the shutdown, Billy’s been on the bench for the games that Chelsea have played now.
“Listen, Billy’s a big prospect and will be a big player for Scotland in future.
“Now whether the future is in September, or October or November, or whether it’s a year is going to be decided by Billy’s performances, if he plays, if he gets a chance to play.
“It’s a position where we’re very strong, we have really good midfield players.
“It’s great to have that competition in that position so Billy’s certainly in the mix and he’s going to have a big future in the Scottish game.”
