Scotland v Sweden Thursday, 23 March, 6pm kick off (UK time) Pinatar Arena Football Centre, Spain

Wales v Scotland Sunday, 26 March, 12pm kick off (UK time) Pinatar Arena Football Centre, Spain

Scotland Under-21 Head Coach Scot Gemmill has named a 23-man squad for this month's friendlies against Sweden and Wales.

The Under-21s will face both sides at the Pinatar Arena in Spain. First up is Sweden on Thursday, March 23 before a match against Wales three days later.

The matches will continue Scotland's preparation for the UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifiers which get underway in September.

Scotland are boosted by the returns of Josh Doig, Leon King and Cieran Slicker who are all back in the squad after missing the November friendly against Iceland through injury.

There are also eight first time call-ups as Gemmill continues to assess his options ahead of the start of the qualification campaign.

Matthew Anderson, Ryan Duncan, Murray Johnson and Dire Mebude all make the step up from the Under-19s, having been a part of Billy Stark's squad who competing in the qualifiers in November.

Azeem Abdulai, Jeremiah Mullen, Jack Newman and Ben Summers are also in the Under-21 squad for the first time.

Lewis Fiorini, who was part of the last qualifying campaign, returns to the squad after a number of injury issues.

Scotland Under-21 Squad

Azeem Abdulai Swansea City Matthew Anderson Celtic Connor Barron* Aberdeen Adam Devine Rangers Thomas Dickson-Peters Grimsby Town (on loan from Norwich City) Ben Doak Liverpool Josh Doig Hellas Verona Ryan Duncan Aberdeen Lewis Fiorini Blackpool (on loan from Manchester City) Hayden Hackney Middlesbrough Murray Johnson Hibernian Max Johnston* Motherwell Leon King Rangers Connor McAvoy Partick Thistle Cole McKinnon Partick Thistle (on loan from Rangers) Dire Mebude Manchester City Liam Morrison* FC Bayern Jeremiah Mullen Leeds United Josh Mulligan* Dundee Jack Newman Dundee United Cieran Slicker Manchester City Connor Smith* Hamilton Academical (on loan from Heart of Midlothian) Ben Summers Celtic

* Denotes Scottish FA JD Performance School graduate