Kieran Trippier admits he has talked with Newcastle team-mate Elliot Anderson about his international future.
But Trippier insists he has put no pressure on the rising midfield star to snub Scotland in favour of pledging his allegiance to the Three Lions instead.
Anderson pulled out of Scotland's squad injured and will not feature in tonight's prestige friendly between the oldest rivals in football at Hampden Park. It throws Anderson's international future back into doubt.
He can still switch back to England, as he has still to make a full appearance for Scotland. Anderson, who was born in Whitley Bay, had played for Scotland at under-age levels before he switched to England at U19 level.
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He returned to play for the Scots at U21 level – and senior boss Steve Clarke has been trying to persuade him for some time to play for Scotland. But whatever Anderson decides, Trippier is convinced the youngster has a bright future at the highest level.
Trippier said: "Obviously, Elliott mentioned – I think it came out in the media first – that he is representing Scotland. I said congratulations. But I was having chats. He’s a quality player, he’s got a great future ahead him, of course.
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"He’s been top quality for Newcastle. I wasn’t putting any pressure on him or anything – ultimately, it is his decision what he wants to do internationally and, of course, his family’s, who support him."
Another player Trippier has been giving career advice to this summer is his England captain Harry Kane, who left Tottenham to join Bayern Munich this summer in a £120m deal. Trippier spent three years with Atletico Madrid, where he reignited his career and helped them win the La Liga title.
The full-back encouraged Kane to move abroad and reckons the experience will help make him an even better striker than he already is.
Trippier added: "Firstly, he didn’t tell me he was going to Bayern Munich – and that’s the truth! I was with you guys. I didn’t have a clue what was going on.
"We had loads of chats after it came out that he was going there – about family, about being away from home and stuff, because it is hard, it is difficult.
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"Harry’s been at Tottenham for all his career. It’s a great move ultimately – one of the top clubs in Europe. It was just about living, about children, your partners need to be happy because they are doing that move with you and you sacrifice a lot, so we had loads of conversations. I have a great relationship with Harry.
"Yeah [it will improve him]. Personally, for myself, when I went to Spain, I was going through a rough patch at Tottenham and it felt like a big weight off any shoulders, to try a different challenge, to go to Spain.
"And I learnt so much under [Diego] Simeone. It has improved me on the pitch, off the pitch, most importantly – I looked at football a different way."
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