Promising Middlesbrough youngster Patrick Reading assessing his options ahead of potential Scotland switch

The 20-year-old left-back trained with Boro’s first team in pre-season and has become a regular for Scotland’s under-21 side this year.

Reading, who qualifies to play for Scotland through his mother, recently told the Mail there was talk about a loan move in the summer yet the defender remained on Teesside.

“There had been a lot of talk about it over the summer but nothing happened," said Reading in September.

“There’s still talk about maybe going to a National League club and then going out again in January and trying to get some first-team experience.

“That’s what I want and I think that’s what the manager wants as well, just to give me that extra bit of first-team experience.”

And during the latest international break, Reading, whose mum’s side of the family are based in Scotland, has revealed he’s open to a move North of the border.

"The plan was to go out on loan in the summer but that did not happen,” Reading told The Herald.

“Now I will wait until January. I’d come up to Scotland on loan. I’ve grown up watching Scottish football and I know a lot about it."

Boro recently recalled striker Tyrone O'Neill from a loan spell at Darlington while forward Mitchell Curry (Inverness) and centre-back Sam Stubbs (Hamilton) are out on loan in Scotland.