The Rumour Mill: Friday’s football transfer news and gossip

IN TODAY’S rumour mill: Rangers to play their way to top, Barcelona great slams Celtic, and Rangers set for clash with SFA.

Rangers will play their way back, says Dundee United chief Stephen Thompson

Dundee United’s Stephen Thompson has re-stated his opposition to any SPL restructuring to bring Rangers back to the league.

Thompson said: “Rangers can’t be voted back in - they have to earn the right by coming up through the leagues.

“Will Rangers get back sooner? I can’t see that happening. There is no way the leagues will be restructured for them.” (The Sun)

Charles Green to stay put at Rangers

Rangers owner Charles Green will stay in charge of the club until they are back at the top of the Scottish game, according to the Daily Record.

Green said: “I don’t know when, or even how, it happened but this club has come to be something much more than a business opportunity.

“My intention was to come in to the club, get the funding in place, make sure Rangers’ fuiture was secured then leave.

“That was my job but now I’m staying until I hear the Champions League anthem blaring out onece again across Ibrox.” (Daily Record)

Celtic ‘don’t deserve’ Champions League football, says Bernd Schuster

Barcelona legend Bernd Schuster has slammed Celtic’s performance at the Nou Camp on Tuesday, and claimed that the SPL champions don’t deserve to be in the competition.

He said: “I’m fed up of seeing these type of matches.

“There should not be teams like Celtic in the Champions League. You see Celtic defending with ten men and almost snatching a point - that is not fair.” (The Sun)

Rangers on collision course with SFA over Adam fee

Rangers are set for yet another battle with the SFA, this time over a £200,000 sell-on fee from Charlie Adam’s move to Stoke from Liverpool. The payment was in the name of Rangers FC, the club’s current incarnation, but the SFA forwarded the money to the old club’s administrators, Duff & Phelps. (Daily Record)

Pressley ‘flattered’ by Burnley speculation

Steven Pressley has admitted that speculation linking him with the managerial role at Burnley is “flattering”, but insists he has no plans to leave Falkirk.

He said: “Burnley are a club of great tradition.

“But it’s speculation. There has been no approach made and I’ve said it time and time again, I’m very happy here.” (Daily Mail)

Butcher to offer Shinnie and Meekings new contracts

Inverness Caley Thistle boss Terry Butcher is set to offer Andrew Shinnie and Josh Meekings new contracts at the club. Butche says that he hopes the duo will sign the two-year extensions next week, as the first in a wave of contract renewals at the Highland club.

“We’ll be speaking to them all early next week. We are trying to tie down those players we feel have merited extensions and who we want to be part of the club going forward.” (The Sun)

IN BRIEF

• Scotland international James McFadden has signed a three-month contract with Sunderland. The attacker will join up with current Scotland cap Steven Fletcher at the Stadium of Light, having been a free agent since his release by Everton last season. (The Sun)

• Dundee midfielder Mark Kerr is out for at least six weeks with a knee injury. Manager Barry Smith revealed that the midfielder will be out of action “for the foreseeable future”. (Daily Mail)

• Dunfermline owner John Yorkston has rejected claims that the club are on the brink of administration, following a boardroom re-shuffle. (Daily Record)