The championships get under way in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, on Thursday when Gourley will go up against the 24-year-old defending champion Ingebrigtsen in a competitive field.

The Norwegian broke his own indoor 1500m world record and indoor mile record in France last month.

Gourley, 30, has also been in good form, winning the UK Indoor Championships last month in a record time for the event.

“I’m in a position now where I’ll be looking at winning medals, absolutely,” Glasgow’s Gourley told BBC Scotland.

“But more than that, seeing how I measure up to the very best guys in the world right now.

“Jakob, having just taken down the world record this indoor season, the mile and the 1500m, he’s coming in as the heavy, heavy favourite and the man to beat.

“But gauging myself against him and a few others who are running quick this indoor season will be an opportunity that I’m relishing.”

The Europeans are a pre-cursor to the World Indoor Championships in China later this month.

The outdoor World Championships also take place in September in Tokyo, with Gourley aiming for the first global medal of his career.

He believes that task is “definitely achievable” but knows the depth of talent will make it a tough challenge.

“The standard gets raised every single year,” Gourley added.

“I’m having to kind of respond to that. I think global 1500m running has just gotten quite silly on the men’s and women’s side. And so it’s a case of raising my game.

“But I’d probably admit if I felt that it wasn’t the case, but I still feel like I have the tools to do that. And I still feel like I’m getting better every year.

“So I think it’s still on the cards and it’s going to be immensely difficult to do.”