Stoke City's Luke Graham wins first international call-up

Luke Graham has described his first senior Scotland call-up as a “very, very proud moment” for himself and his family after the Stoke City summer signing was rewarded for an impressive start to life in the Championship. The 22-year-old centre-half joined the Potters from Dundee this summer and has quickly established himself as an important part of Mark Robins’ side. Graham was previously involved with Scotland without making his senior debut, but new head coach Sebastien Pocognoli has now handed him the opportunity to step up to the full international squad.

The defender admitted that representing his country has been one of his biggest ambitions in football and said he was excited by the chance to learn from Scotland’s established stars. Graham also highlighted Andy Robertson as a particular inspiration, with the Tottenham defender having captained Scotland at major tournaments and now set to become an international team-mate. After making the move to Stoke and impressing in the early weeks of the season, Graham’s call-up represents another significant milestone in what is shaping up to be an exciting campaign for the young defender.