A look at the Scottish players who plied their trade in the Italian top flight
Players from the Scotland national team have played their parts in Serie A over the years.
Young Scottish players such as Calvin Ramsey (Bologna), Ewan Henderson (Empoli) and Stephen Welsh (Udinese) have been reportedly scouted with moves to Italy in mind, ahead of the 2022 summer transfer window, while others have taken the plunge already.
Although not many have turned out in the Italian top flight since the likes of Denis Law, Joe Jordan and Graeme Souness, GOAL takes a look at the Scots who have.
Getty ImagesDenis Law | Torino (1961-62)
A legendary figure at Manchester United, but there was a time when Torino signed Aberdeen-born forward Denis Law for a record transfer fee of £110,000 involving a British player back in 1961.
Inter had complained that the Scot signed a pre-contract with them but backed out of their claim ahead of the season.
However, Law – who was joined by English striker Joe Baker – found it difficult to adapt to life in Turin. From the language barrier to contrasting cultures and style of football, the performance-based payment system was also something that was not particularly enjoyable for him.
Law and Baker were involved in a car crash, soon after which the 1964 Ballon d'Or winner initially put in a transfer request before he was eventually transferred to Man United.
AdvertisementPA ImagesJoe Jordan | AC Milan (1981-82), Verona (1983-84)
It was Jordan's first overseas escapade when he joined AC Milan from Manchester United in 1981. In his first season in Italy, when the Rossoneri had just made it back to Serie A, the forward scored just two league goals in 22 games as the team were relegated.
After spending a year in Serie B and turning down an opportunity to stay at Milan for another shot in the Italian top flight in the following year, Jordan made his Serie A come-back with Verona in the 1983-84 season before returning to the UK. It was after the Yellow and Blues' initial gamble to use his physical prowess didn't pay off to their liking.
Incidentally, Jordan would miss out on Verona lifting the league title in the very next season.
Getty ImagesGraeme Souness | Sampdoria (1984-86)
Roberto Mancini, Gianluca Vialli and Trevor Francis all made their way to Stadio Luigi Ferraris when Souness joined the Genoa-based club in 1984.
The midfielder was fresh from a successful phase in his playing career as he had just won his fifth league title, fourth League Cup and third European Cup with Liverpool when Sampdoria president Paolo Mantovani signed the then 31-year-old.
With the club just moving back into Serie A, Souness did what he did best and won his first piece of silverware in Italy as Sampdoria beat AC Milan to the Coppa Italia title, with the Scot scoring the only goal in the first leg of the final.
Before heading to Rangers, Souness was part of the Blucerchiati's European campaign that finished in the Round of 16.
GettyLiam Henderson | Verona (2019-20), Empoli (2021-)
After over three decades, Henderson became the first Scottish footballer since Souness to play in Serie A.
The former Celtic star, although beginning his Italian sojourn with then Serie B side Bari, made his bow in the country's top flight with Verona in 2019. That was also after spending the initial season of his four-year contract in Serie B.
With Henderson playing a vital role in Verona's promotion, he also became the first Scotsman to score in a Serie A match since Souness in 1986.
The former Scotland Under-21 international currently plays for Empoli in Serie A.