The Rumour Mill: Wednesday’s football news and gossip

Rangers takeover

• Craig Whyte is reportedly on the verge of selling Rangers to a British football consortium. According to reports, the businessmen, who have experience in the Premiership, are now front-runners in the Rangers takeover process as majority shareholder Whyte is willing to deal with them. (Sun)

• Rangers administrators moved quickly on Tuesday evening in an effort to reassure supporters that there remains interest in the crisis club, following confirmation that Bill Miller had stepped away from the bidding process. Duff & Phelps revealed that three new expressions of interest have been made to the administrators “as a consequence” of Miller’s bid to buy the club being accepted last Thursday.

• Duff & Phelps now intend to evaluate these offers with what they describe as the “utmost urgency” following Miller’s withdrawal. (Various)

• Bill Miller says he withdrew his bid for Rangers because he did not wish to risk a portion of his children’s inheritance in a risky takover. (Record)

• Rangers winger Sone Aluko appealed for clarity on the club’s takeover process. He said: “I think we all need to know. I’m not the type of person who will worry myself, you don’t achieve anything by worrying. I am laid back about it but I am still keen to get it sorted and I know the seriousness of the situation.” (Herald)

• SPL chief executive Neil Doncaster said: “This development today means a lack of clarity. But we are in a position where we can’t be proactive. We have to be reactive to whatever is agreed between Duff and Phelps as administrators at Rangers and, indeed, any bidder who comes forward.” (Scotsman))

Rangers ‘not relevant’ to Celtic plans - Lennon

Celtic manager Neil Lennon says the potential demise of Rangers will have no impact on his club’s planning for next season. “I don’t like words like ‘project’ and ‘strategy’ but we have a plan and idea of what is in front of us,” said Lennon. “So regardless of what happens to Rangers, either this year or next year, it will have no relevance to what we are trying to do.” (Scotsman)

• Lennon wants the club to tie down Scottish Premier League player of the year Charlie Mulgrew to a bumper new contract. (Sun)

• Celtic have been rejected an offer to play in the World Football Challenge - a summer tournament involving Chelsea, Liverpool, Real Madrid, AC Milan and three American sides. It will now feature Paris St Germain instead. (Various)

Stark plays a Wylde card

Scotland under-21 manager Billy Stark believes former Rangers winger Gregg Wylde can make a key contribution in the Euro qualifier away to Bulgaria on 31 May, despite red tape holding up his competitive debut for Bolton after leaving Ibrox. He said: “It’s a chance to get Wylde up and see how he’s looking. He has gone off the radar because he has not been able to play. It’s an opportunity to have a look at him in training.” See the full U21 squad.

IN BRIEF

• MK Dons are preparing offers for Dundee United pair Paul Dixon and Scott Robertson. (Sun)

• Aberdeen have joined Hibernian in the race to sign out-of-contract Dundee United midfielder Danny Swanson. (Sun)

• Danny Buijs will quit Kilmarnock at the end of the season to return to the Netherlands. (Herald)

• Raith Rovers have blamed the uncertainty surrounding Scottish football and wider economic problems for their decision to switch to a mixture of part-time and full-time players. (Express)

• Kenny Deuchar, a practising doctor who has played for many Scottish clubs in his 13-year career, has announced that he has “probably” retired from the senior game.