Scotland Under-21 boss Billy Stark is ready to hand Chelsea teenage sensation Islam Feruz his debut against Italy.

Striker Feruz is among seven uncapped youngsters hoping to make their bow at Easter Road in Wednesday’s friendly, and Stark has hinted that the 16-year-old has a chance of getting game time against the young Azzuri.

Feruz, who came to Glasgow from Somalia as an asylum seeker in 2001 and was nurtured at Celtic before winning his big move to the London giants, would become Scotland's youngest under-21 international if handed his debut aged 16 years and 197 days, beating a record held by Christian Dailly.

Stark said: "He's a very young lad and he's been recognised as being very talented.

“Although he's young, he's shown he's got something a wee bit different and I would like to think we'll see some of that on the pitch."

The youth level boss has a starting line-up in his head for the Italy match as Scotland seek a notable scalp, having taken four points from Holland in their European Championships qualifying campaign.

Stark said: "I think you always have a wee idea about the core of the team.

"The starting XI will be pretty experienced in terms of the under-21s. We can't take the Italians lightly but we would hope to introduce one or two younger ones and certainly as the game goes on get a good healthy proportion of them on the pitch."

BACKGROUND

• Revised Scotland Under-21 squad to face Italy