£20m Celtic deal 'ruled out', Gers departure mooted, Scotland ace linked to shock switch - transfer news

Celtic set for transfer boost as duo edge towards exit

Brendan Rodgers has been handed an unexpected transfer boost after it emerged that on-loan defender Alexandro Bernabei is edging closer to a permanent switch to Internacional. The left-back moved to Celtic Park two years ago when the champions paid Lanús a fee of around £3.75million for his services. However, after falling to nail down a regular starting spot, the 24-year-old moved to back to South America in March when he signed for Brazilian club Internacional on an initial loan deal, where he has since played regularly.

Despite his successful loan stint, it was believed his new club would struggle to afford Celtic’s asking price. However, the multi-million pound sale of 17-year-old wonderkid Gabriel Carvalho to Saudi Pro League side Al Qadisiyah has changed Internacional’s cicrumstances and they are now aiming push forward with a deal for Bernabei. The Celtic Star say the club’s sporting director André Mazzucco will travel to Glasgow this week to seal a transfer after Celtic accepted a price of £5 million plus add-ons.

Celtic are also reportedly close to agreeing a deal that will allow fringe player Stephen Welsh to join KV Mechelen on loan. The Belgian outfit are believed to have made an offer for the Scottish defender, and the Hoops hierarchy are happy to sanction a loan move this January.

Alexandro Bernabei has no future at Celtic. | Getty Images

Gers ace to replace ex-Ibrox man?

Rangers left-back Ridvan Yilmaz could return to Turkey this month after it emerged Trabzonspor have "established contact" with club hierarchy over a January transfer. The 23-year-old defender joined Rangers in the summer of 2022 for a fee of around £5million but has found his progress curtailed by injury, and now one of his former coaches is looking to tempt him return to the Süper Lig.

According to Futbol Anadolu, the Istanbul based club see Yilmaz as a replacement for ex-Rangers left-back Borna Barisic, who only moved to the club on a Bosman free transfer in July, but has struggled for form. The report say Trabzonspor’s interest in the Yilmaz is largely due to head coach Şenol Güneş’ admiration of the defender, having worked with him at Besiktas and the Turkish national team previously.

Ridvan Yilmaz could depart Rangers in January. Cr: Getty Images. | Getty Images

Talented Scottish teen agrees ‘long-term’ deal with Hibs

Hibs have confirmed that talented Scotland youth international Rudi Molotnikov has agreed a new long-term deal at Easter Road. The 18-year-old, who first joined Hibs at the age of 10, has penned a four-and-a-half deal with the club which runs until the summer of 2029.

On the news, head coach David Gray said: “I’m delighted that we’ve managed to agree a new long-term contract with Rudi. During my time at the Club, I have watched his development closely and I've been impressed with his desire to keep learning and working hard every day. He wants to push himself all the time and he needs to keep doing that. He has a bright future at Hibs, and we want to help him to reach his full potential.”

Sporting director Malky Mackay was equally as delighted to see Molotnikov commit his future to the club, adding: “Rudi is an exciting young player and is an excellent example of the types of players we’re producing in our Academy set-up. We want to be a club that gives talented youngsters a chance and one that produces Academy players for the First Team. We are constantly planning for the future and our first thought is to look within ourselves and at who is coming through our Academy. Rudi thoroughly deserves this new deal, and I look forward to seeing how he progresses.”

Rudi Molotnikov has signed a new long-term deal with Hibs. Cr: SNS Group. | SNS Group

Scotland star linked to shock January transfer

Scotland whizzkid Ben Doak could be used as a makeweight in a shock January transfer after being named as a key target for Crystal Palace. The 19-year-old Liverpool forward has spent the first half of the campaign on loan with EFL Championship promotion chasers Middlesbrough, making a huge impression at the Riverside Stadium, where he has contributed to seven goals in 17 starts. According to report, Doak could now be set for a permanent switch after capturing the attention of Oliver Glasner and the Palace chiefs.

According to MailSport, Doak’s parent club could be open to the move as part of a deal which includes Eagles captain Marc Guehi going in the opposite direction. Liverpool boss Arne Slot is rumoured to be interested in bringing the England defender to Anfield this January, and there’s a belief that the Selhurst Park club would be open to a deal that includes Doak and a fee for Guehi, though it is believed Doak would prefer to remain on Merseyside following his loan deal and still harbours hopes of breaking into Liverpool’s starting XI.

Ben Doak is spending the season on loan to Middlesbrough - but could his loan move be cut short?

£20m move for Celtic ace 'ruled out'

According to reports in The Athletic, Manchester City are not expected to make a January transfer move for Celtic hitman Kyogo Furuhashi, despite interest in his services last summer. The English Premier League (EPL) champions have won just two of their last 10 games in all competitions and are targeting reinforcements next month after falling 14 points behind league leaders Liverpool in the race for the title.

The 29-year-old Japanese international was linked with a £20million transfer to the Etihad Stadium in the summer after the EPL giants sanctioned the big-money exit of Argentinian forward Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid. Interest in Kyogo was thought to have been sparked by Pep Guardiola's assistant Jaunma Lillo, who worked with Furuhashi at previous club Vissel Kobe in 2018/19. However, it is now reported that the Cityzens hold a firmer interest in Eintracht Frankfurt’s £40million rated forward Omar Marmoush and Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap, as opposed to the Celtic striker.