Ben Doak will miss Scotland's double header with Greece after going under the knife for surgery that could end his season.
Former Celtic kid Doak has sparkled in a season-long loan at Middlesbrough, with the Liverpool youngster helping spearhead the Championship side's play-off hopes. The 19-year-old - who was the subject of £15million bids from Crystal Palace and Ipswich in January - caught the eye with some sensational performances for Scotland last year and ran Manchester City defender Josko Gviardiol ragged in a 1-0 win for Steve Clarke's men against Croatia back in October that helped them set up the Nations League play-off with Greece.
But he will not be able to add to his six senior caps later this month after the extent of his injury setback was revealed. Doak - who has registered three goals and seven assists for Boro - has missed the last six matches, but it was initially hoped that a comeback was imminent.
However, the teenager has now been forced to undergo treatment back at Liverpool that could bring his season to an end. Boro sit just two points outside of the Championship play-off spots with 11 games remaining. Clarke's Scotland will hope to retain their place in Nations League A when they travel to Piraeus on Thursday, March 19 before welcoming the Greeks to Hampden four days later.
Doak's dazzling displays at Hampden earned big praise from former Scotland forward Lee Miller, dad of Motherwell star Lennon. He told the BBC: "I've watched him for a good few years now and he is the best I've seen at dribbling and running with the ball.
"He's exciting, he's got a complete no fear mindset of who he plays against. You get the same Ben Doak each time, he just wants to attack and go.
"That kind of breeds confidence throughout the full team, too. I think if you've got a player that can carry the ball like that, you want to give them it constantly. Then other players just up their game a wee bit more."