ALEX MCLEISH has stepped up efforts to convince Scott McTominay to pledge his international future to Scotland, with a face-to-face meeting this week, according to reports.
United boss Jose Mourinho has given the new Scotland manger permission to meet the Lancaster –born midfielder at their Carrington training base before the weekend, claim Telegraph Sport.
McLeish is keen to make the case in person why the 21-year-old who has broken into United’s first-team this season should choose Scotland over England.
The Scotland manager is keen to call up McTominay who qualifies through his Glaswegian father for the friendlies against Coast Rica and Hungary next month.
Meanwhile, England are closely monitoring the situation with Under-21 coach Aidy Boothroyd looking to call the midfielder up for next month’s games against Romania and Ukraine.
The United squad have been given three days off after Sunday’s win against Chelsea.
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McTominay who made his 15th appearance this season in the Old Trafford win will speak to McLeish when he returns on Thursday.
He rejected the chance of a first Scotland cap in the friendly against Holland in November, while Malky Mackay was in temporary charge.
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Mourinho has pretty much told McLeish to meet with McTominay this month after intimating that England were dragging their heels.
He said: “Because it looks like England is missing him, if I was Alex McLeish, the first thing I would do would be to come to me.
Mourinho has revealed he’s given McTominay his opinion on what he should do but insisted the final decision had to be made by the player and his family.
He added: “I’ve given him my advice but I think the advice of his parents is more important than mine.
“His own heart is more important than my advice because mine is purely from a career point of view, more important than his career is his feeling, his family’s feeling and also the overall situation with him.
“He’s going to have a very good career independently of his international choice – if he has the choice, because maybe Scotland or England don’t want to select him, which is also possible.
“The most important thing is for him to feel good with himself.”
McTominay has discussed his international future with United team-mate Demetri Mitchell, who is currently on loan at Hearts, but the left back is keeping tight-lipped about his mate’s plans.
Mitchell said: “We were playing the X-box the other day and I spoke to Scott about Scotland and England but I won’t tell you what we said.
United are not in action again until next Monday night when Crystal Palace are the visitors to Old Trafford.
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