Despite the fact he was born in Lancaster, Scott McTominay has rejected the chance to represent England at international level.
Instead, the 21-year-old Manchester United midfielder has chosen to play for Scotland, where his father and grandparents come from.
McTominay has not yet represented Scotland at any level but attended training camps with the country’s younger sides and previously admitted: “I’m probably more Scottish than I am English.”
BBC Sport revealed that McTominay pledged his future to Scotland over the weekend after meeting Alex McLeish at United’s training ground.
Gareth Southgate was also expected to have talks with the central midfielder, who has made 15 appearances for the Red Devils this season, but McTominay did not meet the England manager.
Barton gives his honest opinion about McTominay's decision
Joey Barton, speaking on talkSPORT this morning, has reacted to McTominay’s decision to represent Scotland and England - and his comments are guaranteed to cause quite a stir.
"He obviously wants his summers off," Barton said, per the Daily Record.
What a dig at both Scotland and McTominay.
"He has shown his ambition hasn't he?” Barton continued.
“He realises the weight of playing for England and working every summer - he doesn't want that.”
Barton: Perhaps Fergie influenced the decision
The former England midfielder, who is currently banned from football after breaching betting rules, added: "Maybe Manchester United and Fergie [Sir Alex Ferguson] have influenced it.
"Scotland have improved the last qualification campaign and if he feels more Scottish than English fair play to the kid.
“It would have been easy to go financially to the England side and, if you are in the Manchester United team, then there's a good chance you get called up by England. That has been a route map for a long period if you look at [Jesse] Lingard and [Marcus] Rashford etc.
"But fair play to the boy if he feels a passionate Scotsman like Mr [Alan] Brazil here then it can only be a good thing for Scotland because he is a seriously talented individual."
You can always rely on Barton for a controversial reaction to a football story; however, there might be England fans out there nodding along with the former Manchester City and Newcastle United star.
If McTominay feels Scottish, he's made the right decision
McTominay may have been included in Southgate’s squad for this summer’s World Cup finals in Russia had he chosen to represent England.
Instead, he now faces the very real possibility of never playing in a major international tournament.
But if McTominay genuinely feels more Scottish than English then he has made the right decision, even if that means he’ll never play in a World Cup finals.
Is Joey Barton right about Scott McTominay? Have your say by leaving a comment below.