Scotland link-up planned for Dykes despite striker missing QPR games

Lyndon Dykes could play for Scotland next week despite missing the past seven QPR games.

The striker was recently named in the Scotland squad by manager Steve Clarke, whose team will play Poland on Thursday followed by a second friendly, against either Austria or Wales, next Tuesday.

They were due to play Ukraine in a World Cup play-off semi-final but the game was postponed because of Russia’s invasion of the country.

Last week, QPR boss Mark Warburton insisted that Dykes was not “fit and available as it currently stands” to play for Scotland.

However, Warburton now says the plan is for Dykes to train with QPR and potentially link up with Scotland for the second friendly.

“Lyndon will train with us because he hasn’t trained with the first-team squad yet,” Warburton said.

“He will train with us for the early part of the week and then if, touch wood, all is well, then he will depart and be with them for the second game.

“That’s the plan right now, but I just want to see Lyndon come back. We’ve missed Lyndon for six weeks it’ll be.

“These injuries aren’t five or six days. We’re losing players to lengthy injuries and it’s challenging.”

Warburton has also admitted he is now “less optimistic” of a quick return for Chris Willock.