Major development on Rangers transfer target, club switches training base, new keeper confirmed - Scottish football news

We round up some of the main headlines across Scottish football this Friday evening

Kelly to leave Motherwell

Scotland goalkeeper Liam Kelly, who has been linked with a move to Rangers, is among ten players who will leave Motherwell. The Fir Park club has confirmed that captain Kelly, Callan Elliot, Calum Butcher, Barry Maguire and Blair Spittal are to depart, with Spittal expected to join Hearts after signing a pre-contract agreement. Paul McGinn and Aston Oxborough have agreed new deals with Motherwell, while the loans of Georgie Gent, Adam Devine, Adam Montgomery, Oli Shaw and Jack Vale coming to an end. The Steelmen report that they are negotiations with Matty Connelly, Stephen O’Donnell, Bevis Mugabi, Callum Slattery and Sam Nicholson over contract extensions.

Inverness switch training base

Motherwell's Liam Kelly is leaving Fir Park, the club has confirmed.

Inverness have announced an agreement to use the home ground of new League One rivals Kelty Hearts as their training base in a move they feel gives them “the best possible chance to attract the highest quality players to the club”. The Highlands-based outfit – who have just been relegated from the Championship – explained that their geographic location has become a significant impediment to being able to recruit from Scotland’s central belt. Although they will train at New Central Park Stadium in Fife – around 135 miles away from the Caledonian Stadium – the club stressed that “Inverness is and will always be our home” and also pointed out that they did not envisage being in the same division as Kelty when the plan was first mooted.

St Mirren land goalkeeper

St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson has landed his primary goalkeeping target for next term after completing the signing of Ellery Balcombe on a season-long loan from Brentford. The 24-year-old came through the ranks with the Bees but has made only one appearance for his parent club, with the majority of his senior game time coming during loan stints at Boreham Wood, Viborg, Doncaster, Burton, Bromley and Crawley. Robinson was quick to earmark Balcombe as his preferred choice to come in as a replacement for Zach Hemming, who has returned to Middlesbrough after his own impressive campaign on loan in Paisley.

Booth departs Saints

Goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe will be at St Mirren next season.

Callum Booth thanked St Johnstone for the best moments of his career as he became the second member of their 2021 cup double-winning team to depart on a permanent basis this week. The 32-year-old joined Saints in September 2019 and went on to be part of arguably the greatest feat in the club’s history when he started both the League Cup and Scottish Cup final victories over Livingston and Hibernian respectively, just three months apart. After spending the second half of the season just finished on loan at Spartans, it was confirmed on Friday that Booth will be following Chris Kane – who was also part of the glory of 2020-21 – out of the exit door upon expiry of his contract. “I have some really amazing memories,” said Booth. “Probably the best I’ve ever had in football – without doubt winning the two cups and the European games. I was actually watching the Galatasaray highlights with my little boy the other day.”

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