Steve Clarke has held 'positive talks' with Lyndon Dykes in an attempt to convince the striker to pledge his allegiance to Scotland.

The national manager understands Dykes - who is also eligible to play for Australia - will have a difficult decision to make but he claims he made his pitch to the Livingston frontman recently.

Dykes notched 12 goals in 33 Livi appearances last season and Clarke admits his side are relatively short of options up front. And the ex-Kilmarnock head coach is quietly confident that Dykes could choose the dark blue.

"I'd be hopeful without being presumptuous that he could choose us, but you never know," Clarke told BBC Sportsound. "You can try to sell your angle why it would be better to play for Scotland, but ultimately it will come down to Lyndon to make that choice.

"The difficult part just now is that we haven't been very successful as a national team so people who have a choice tend to think maybe their other option is the better option."

Dykes has been on Rangers' transfer wish-list for a number of weeks now and recently fanned the flames of speculation by dying his hair BLUE.