IN-DEMAND Scotland teenager Oliver Burke last night sealed a sensational £15 million move to Bundesliga new boys Red Bull Leipzig.
The 19-year-old, part of Gordon Strachan’s squad to face Malta in the Scots’ opening 2018 World Cup qualifier on Sunday, has signed a five-year deal.
Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Tottenham and Sunderland were among the clubs reported to be interested in the Nottingham Forest winger, who already has two senior Scotland caps. Leipzig’s sporting director Ralf Rangnick said: “Oliver Burke is an outstanding talent with an awful lot of potential.
“He fits with our high pace and way of playing very well and will make his next sporting development step with us.
“This transfer is important, especially because several top clubs were interested.”
A product of Forest’s academy, which he joined at the age of 12, Kirkcaldy-born Burke made his first-team debut in September 2014 and earned his first Scotland cap against Denmark in March.
Meanwhile, Robert Snodgrass is optimistic over his chances of being fit to face Malta despite a painful collision with a goalpost.
Snodgrass and Leigh Griffiths will be assessed for injuries when they join up with the squad. Snodgrass hurt his leg when he crashed into a goalpost during Hull’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester United on Saturday, while Griffiths went off with a hamstring problem during Celtic’s 4-1 win over Aberdeen, but both appear keen to be involved.
Snodgrass wrote on Instagram: “Gutted had to go off, but in future I can’t tackle goalposts there is only one winner. Gutted for the lads they gave everything. See how the quad is over the next few days but hope to be ok for the international duty.”
Griffiths came off just before the hour mark at Parkhead after netting his seventh goal of the season.
He said: “I’ve been struggling with my hamstring a bit. I’ll go away with Scotland and see the physio there. I always want to play for my country, I don’t want to let anyone down.’’
Motherwell midfielder Chris Cadden has won a late call-up to the Scotland under-21 squad for their European Championship qualifiers against Macedonia and Ukraine.
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