Callum Paterson saw his contract extended at Sheffield Wednesday this summer.
The utility man signed a new one-year deal at Sheffield Wednesday when they won promotion to the Championship, before the club opted to exercise the extension clause for a further year.
Paterson’s versatility has proven vital to the Owls over the years, though injury meant he was unable to have much of an impact last season as he managed only 17 starts.
Despite becoming a fan favourite at Hillsborough, the 29-year-old hasn’t earned a call-up to the Scotland national team since his time at Wednesday only just began.
Paterson has 17 caps to his name and last made a cameo against Serbia in November 2020.
He is now desperate to make a dramatic return to the international stage and has admitted that that is his ‘main driver’ to impress in the Championship.
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Paterson wants to ‘catch the eye’ at Sheffield Wednesday
Speaking to The Star, Paterson said: “It’s exciting to see some new faces.
“At one stage you looked around and it looked a bit thin on the ground really, but you can’t help but trust in the gaffer and we’ll see some quality.
“We started poorly and if we’d had the form that we managed to get under the new gaffer then I think everyone knows we would have been a lot higher in the table. If we can continue the momentum we had last year we’ll be strong. It’s fingers crossed that everything can work out for us.
On Scotland at Euro 2024, he said: “It wasn’t the greatest event, but at times the boys played some good stuff in a tough group. It’s a bit disappointing and obviously I wasn’t involved so I was looking at it from a fan’s perspective. I’d have liked to have been involved but it is what it is.
“It would be nice to get back in the squad. I’ve always said it’s the greatest achievement of my career, playing for my country, so hopefully I can do well this year and catch the eye. If I’m honest, it’s my main driver. It’s the pinnacle for any professional footballer and I’d love to do that again. If not, I’ll keep trying.”
Can the utility man get back into the Scotland squad?
Despite bowing out fairly quickly at the Euros, Scotland do have some incredibly talented players in their squad.
The likes of Andy Robertson, John McGinn and Billy Gilmour have really impressed in the Premier League, while there were also seven players from the second tier on the plane to Germany too.
Paterson would have to really impress to get back into the Scotland squad, but if he can earn a regular spot in the team under Danny Rohl and push for the play-offs then he can surely gain attention from the national team hierarchy.
His versatility would surely be his most attractive trait, given that he could fill into so many different positions.
While he has great dedication to the Scotland team, it certainly benefits Wednesday too if it means his performances are even better.