The Rumour Mill: Tuesday’s football news and gossip

Rangers takeover latest

• Rangers director Andrew Ellis is demanding a quarter of the club’s shares from Craig Whyte. Ellis claims he was promised a 24.9 per cent stake in the club for helping to buy out Sir David Murray last May. (Record)

• Bill Ng, a director at private equity firm Financial Frontiers, has emerged in public to insist he wants to sit down with Ibrox manager Ally McCoist at the earliest opportunity. (Scotsman)

• Rangers administrators have warned that the taxman could still veto any takeover deal for the club. It is understood that Duff and Phelps would not be willing to hand the keys to Ibrox to any group who had not been cleared by the revenue authorities. (Mail)

Baggies in the hunt for Naismith

West Brom are set to make a renewed £2.5million offer for Steven Naismith after Rangers administrators previously rejected a lower bid for the attacker. It is understood that Baggies boss Roy Hodgson has not given up hope of signing the 25-year-old and is set to step up his interest in the next 48 hours. (Sun)

Lennon’s stock rising

Alan Stubbs believes that Neil Lennon’s title success with Celtic will have made people sit up and take notice in England. “He has been successful and when you are successful everyone takes notice,” said the former Celtic defender. “People will try to knock the title because of what Rangers are going through but even if you added those points back onto Rangers’ tally, they would still be eight points behind Celtic. That takes that argument out of the equation.” (Scotsman)

• Neil Lennon is keen to secure the services of on-loan goalkeeper Fraser Forster. The Celtic boss wants to finalise a £2million transfer for the Newcastle player and wants a quick answer. (Sun)

• Beram Kayal has revealed he could return to action in time for the Scottish Cup final, if Celtic make it to Hampden. The Israeli midfielder said: “I still hope to return this season and win Celtic the Scottish Cup.” (Record)

• Out-of-favour Celtic striker Morten Rasmussen claims he could stay at Parkhead for another year and see out his contract. (Record)

• Former Celtic star Lubo Moravcik believes Celtic have a good young side but reckons Neil Lennon needs “two or three experienced players” to realise their Champions League ambitions.

Fame game for Fallon

Rory Fallon is hoping the Scottish Cup will make him as famous in Aberdeen as the World Cup did back in New Zealand. The Aberdeen striker said: “The only luck I have enjoyed in my career so far was scoring the goal which took New Zealand to the World Cup so I haven’t actually won anything yet. That is the one thing I would love to achieve and the Scottish Cup would be a brilliant one to do that given it’s history so it would mean a lot to play in the semi against Hibs.” (Scotsman)

Murray up for the Cup

Ian Murray reckons every Hibs supporter would accept relegation from the SPL if it meant the current team finally ended the club’s endlessly frustrating Scottish Cup hoodoo. The Easter Road captain said: “It’s remarkable, really, because our SPL form is poor. But I’d say every fan – and probably most of the players – would take relegation if it meant we win the Scottish Cup.” (Scotsman)

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