Rumour Mill: John Guidetti | Ally McCoist

Marseille step up pursuit of John Guidetti

The French club’s interest in Celtic loan player John Guidetti has increased after star striker Andre-Pierre Gignac announced he is to leave.

Marseille have dispatched scouts to Scotland to watch Guidetti this season.

Celtic will have to pay a hefty fee to Manchester City in January to secure the striker or he will be available on a Bosman in the summer. (Record)

• Shunsuke Nakamura will make a half time appearance at Celtic Park next week when his former side take on St Mirren

McCoist says he has backing of Rangers board

Ally McCoist insisted yesterday that he is as determined as ever to carry on as Rangers manager, and that he has no reason to doubt that he has the backing of the club’s board of directors. (Scotsman)

• Kenny Miller says he is confident Rangers will overhaul the 22 gap separating Rangers from Hearts and win promotion from the Championship under the leadership of Ally McCoist

• The Rangers manager says he has no intention of leaving Rangers however if his family suffer abuse then he may reconsider his position

• Interview: Charlie Miller on Rangers, David Beckham and Castlemilk

Terry Butcher odds on for Motherwell job

Terry Butcher now appears to be the clear front-runner to return to Scottish football as Motherwell manager, six months after he was axed by Hibernian after they were relegated under his tenure. (Scotsman)

• Noberto Solano says he has been interviewed for the Motherwell manager’s job

East Fife sign Champions League player

East Fife have pulled off one of the transfer coups of the season by signing a Champions League player with Spanish giants Real Sociedad as an amateur.

The Fifers have recruited defender Julen Etxabeguren Leanizbarrutia, who was in Sociedad’s squad of 25 players for the Champions League last season before he decided to make a lifestyle change and head for Scotland to attend university in the summer. (Scotsman)

Celtic still in running for Martin Odegaard

Ronny Deila has revealed he has not given up hope of beating a host of European football’s top clubs to the signing of Norwegian prodigy Martin Odegaard.

The Celtic manager insists he has “control of the situation” as the much-coveted attacking midfielder weighs up his options which already include Real Madrid, Manchester United and Liverpool. (Scotsman)

Craig Whyte says he is still a Rangers fan

Former Rangers owner Craig Whyte gave the club a vote of confidence yesterday – and said he will always be a fan.

Whyte also said it was inevitable that Rangers would return to the top of Scottish football. He was speaking after leaving the High Court in London, where he had appeared for the latest hearing of a legal dispute he is involved in with a ticketing firm. (Scotsman)

Rumour Mill: John Guidetti | Ally McCoist | Martin Odegaard