AUSTRALIA has won its latest international tug-of-war for a promising young sportsman, pinching WA teen Cameron Burgess from Scotland's grasp.

The Fulham defender has starred for Scotland's youth sides for the past year, playing as recently as June, but has officially pledged his future to the Socceroos.

FIFA this week officially granted Burgess a clearance to switch allegiance from Scotland to Australia, which binds him to Australia forever.

A central defender who can play left-back or defensive midfield, Burgess will now be considered for the two November home friendlies by Socceroos coach Ange Posetcoglou.

Football Federation Australia yesterday confirmed the capture of Burgess, who played for Scotland's U19 and 20s and whose granddad Campbell Forsyth was capped by Scotland in the 1960s.

"Cameron Burgess is a talented young footballer making positive moves in his football career and we're delighted he has confirmed his desire to play for Australia,'' an FFA spokesperson said.

delighted to make my professional debut today! gutted about the result but a positive season ahead #COYW #FFC — Cameron Burgess (@CamBurgess95) August 9, 2014

"He is a young player we have been watching and we will continue to do so knowing he is committed to the Socceroos.''

Burgess has been a bolter for Championship side Fulham, playing four full games this season after making his senior debut last month, age 18 years and 10 months.

Standing at 194cm, the stopper has been deployed mainly as a defensive midfielder by Fulham boss Felix Magath.

Born in Aberdeen, his family moved to Perth age 11, where he was an ECU Joondalup junior and played for Perth Glory's youth team, before signing for Fulham in 2011.

It's believed Postecoglou considered calling Burgess up to the current camp for the Belgium and Saudi Arabia games, but was unsure if the clearance would be granted on time.

The same clearance was required for Liverpool's Sydney-born and raised left-back Brad Smith, who's represented England's youth sides for the past four years but made his Socceroos debut against Belgium on Friday.

Having been picked in an Australian U20 camp earlier this year, Burgess is now likely to be selected for the Young Socceroos' U20 World Cup qualifiers in October in Myanmar (October 9-23).

Cameron Burgess made his debut for Fulham this season. Source: Getty Images

With the Socceroos due to play UAE and Qatar on October 10 and 14, a senior call-up beckons in November, which will be Postecoglou's final camp before picking his squad for January's Asian Cup.

Burgess' capture is a two-pronged win for Australia - it gives Postecoglou another long-term option in the problematic defensive third, where depth has been tested since the retirements of Craig Moore, Tony Popovic and Tony Vidmar while Lucas Neill appears to have played his last game.

Curtis Good and Rhys Williams missed the World Cup through injury, as did WA product Trent Sainsbury, who started in the loss to Belgium.

It's with great irony that Australia secured Burgess the same way it lost fellow left-footed stopper Ersan Gulum to Turkey.

The Melbourne-born Australian youth international switched allegiance to Turkey after overtures from Guus Hiddink, but having been uncapped in 2013 he and FFA tried to overturn his change.

But FIFA's steadfast rules prevented him from doing so, though the Besiktas defender has since become a Turkey regular.