Ryan Porteous raves about Everton teenager Fraser Hornby

Follow us on Google Discover

Everton striker Fraser Hornby is making headlines in Scotland.

Hibernian defender Ryan Porteous has told The Scottish Sun that he thinks Everton striker Fraser Hornby is a ‘high-class player’, backing him for a Scotland call-up.

The Toffees had a mixed international break, as whilst Richarlison thrived for Brazil with two goals on his debut against El Salvador, they saw Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Seamus Coleman pick up injuries.

Youth prospects were also in action for their countries, and few players had a better international break than Everton forward Hornby, who has been away with Scotland’s Under-21’s.

Hornby, 18, scored a hat-trick for Scotland Under-21’s in their 3-0 win over Andorra last Thursday, before scoring twice in the surprise 2-1 win over the Netherlands on Tuesday.

The striker therefore scored every single Scotland Under-21’s managed to bag over the last week, and he did it all against players who are largely older than him.

Hornby is a tall, physical target man who possesses impressive technical ability having also played as an attacking midfielder, and looks set for a huge future for club and country.

Everton snapped him up from hometown club Northampton Town for just £65,000 in 2014, but the fee may reach £1.3million (BBC Sport), representing a bargain given that he has already made his first-team debut for the Toffees.

Now, Hornby’s Scotland Under-21 teammate Ryan Porteous has hailed him, with the Hibernian defender telling The Scottish Sun that Hornby could be a senior Scotland international very soon despite his age – and called him a ‘high-class player’.

“Fraser is definitely a future Scotland striker,” said Porteous. “In fact, I don’t think he’s that far away right now. We watched the last couple of Scotland games and they have been decent. But in my opinion, that’s what they need — a targetman.”

“I’ve played with him for Scotland for two years now and he’s a great player. He can do both sides. He’s a big target man and a strong boy, but he’s technically very good and his awareness is fantastic. When we’re training I just try and kick him! We all know he’s a high-class player. He wouldn’t have played for Everton’s first team if he wasn’t,” he added.