THE player movements of the last week have confirmed that English clubs will, for the foreseeable future, provide the nucleus of Shelley Kerr’s Scotland squad. Of the 20 outfield players chosen for the most recent World Cup qualifiers against Belarus and Poland, 14 have now signed to play in England.

The latest movement has included Sophie Howard – like Lisa Evans a year earlier – making the switch from Germany to England. On Friday, Manchester United finally got round to announcing they had signed Kirsty Smith and Lizzie Arnot from Hibernian, while Christie Murray, who has left Glasgow City, is moving to Liverpool.

They are not the only Scotland players to switch clubs this summer, with Caroline Weir having gone to Manchester City from Liverpool and Jane Ross from the Manchester club to FA WSL1 newcomers West Ham United. Only Lana Clelland, who remains in Italy following her transfer from UPC Tavagnacco to Fiorentina, has bucked the trend.

This leaves only Leanne Crichton, Hayley Lauder and Jo Love of Kerr’s current outfield players still in Scotland. They are joined by goalkeepers Lee Alexander and Jenna Fife, making it five Scottish-based players out of 23. It is changed days from when the Glasgow City and Scotland squads were very similar.

The consequences for domestic football are obvious, but that’s another discussion. If you were Kerr, you would prefer the option of selecting fully professional players.

Central defender Howard has strong English connections, so her move from Hoffenheim to Reading is no great surprise. The FA WSL1 club did well to finish fourth, behind Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal, last season and the 24-year-old believes she will fit in.

“Playing in England is getting more and more attractive,” Howard said. “I felt really at home at Hoffenheim, but the decision for me was to look for the next challenge to improve as a player.”

Hibs will massively miss Smith and Arnot, but at the ages of 24 and 22 they are making moves which, like Howard, could transform them from Scotland fringe players into first-team regulars. Arnot faces huge competition from Evans, Clare Emslie and Fiona Brown, but pacy full-back Smith is unfortunate to have been overlooked so often and in a more competitive environment should come into her own.

SMITH and Arnot were not the only Scottish players to be paraded by Manchester United on Friday. Winger Kirsty Hanson has joined from Doncaster Rovers Belles, but started her career at United's well regarded academy.

The 20-year-old will be hoping the high-profile move might help her advance into the full Scotland squad. She played 14 games for the under-19s, scoring eight goals – six of them against Switzerland and Albania, whose senior sides are next up for Kerr and her players.

CELTIC'S announcement of Edward Gallagher as interim head coach on Wednesday left more questions than answers. There was no clarification of his role, but according to a club spokeswoman the recruitment process to find a manager to replace David Haley remains ongoing.

The team's next competitive game is against Glasgow City on August 5. Whoever is in charge faces an almighty task against the 11-times champions – four players are suspended, while it is understood that reserve goalkeeper Kiera Gibson, who has been deputising for the injured Megan Cunningham, is also unavailable.