Heart of Midlothian midfielder Aidan Denholm has been called up to the Scotland Under-21 squad for the upcoming European Championship qualifying double header with Hungary and Malta.

The 19-year-old joins team-mate Alex Lowry and Lewis Neilson who is currently on loan at Partick Thistle in the squad. He could win his first cap for the national team at youth level.

It is another milestone for the teenager who has become part of Steven Naismith's first-team at Hearts. He recently signed a three-year deal to extend his stay at his boyhood club, only months after being told he was being released.

READ MORE: Denholm's Hearts journey: Playing for expenses to top of the world

"His Hearts career has probably been in the category of doing everything the hard way," Naismith said of Denholm. "I trained with him when I first came as a player and as a player I was really demanding, the biggest thing I noticed was that he was really receptive and not going to shy away from it. Even when they were young and in the first-team environment, if they made a sloppy mistake I’d tell them and he never once shied away from it and his attitude never changed. He would still be there asking you questions and that told you about his character.

"In the development team you could see he was a leader, he works harder than anyone here to be better."

Both matches will be played at Motherwell's Fir Park with Scot Gemmill's side looking to pick up two wins after losing the opening group fixture to Spain. 

Hearts Standard:

As well as Denholm and Lowry, other Hearts first-team stars to be on international duty are Zander Clark, Kye Rowles and Kenneth Vargas.