Rangers flop offered exit, Kewell to raid Celtic, Duk 'bid' - Scottish transfer rumours

The latest January transfer rumours involving clubs in the Scottish Premiership

Sam Lammers could depart Rangers in January - just six months after making a £3.5m move from Atalanta. (Photo by Craig Foy / SNS Group)

Rangers flop offered exit

Sam Lammers could be offered a route out of Rangers this month amid reports that former manager Michael Beale is keen on taking him to Sunderland. The forward has struggled at Ibrox since Beale signed him for the club in a £3.5m acquisition from Serie A side Atalanta in the summer. Despite being just six months into a four-year deal, it is understood Lammers would be allowed to leave the club in January if a suitable offer is received. According to the Newcastle Chronicle, Beale would be open to taking another punt on the Dutchman as he looks to bolster his squad for the English Championship promotion push. The Scottish Sun, however, insist Beale has no interest in Lammers and that a loan move back to his homeland in the Netherlands looks a more likely destination.

Celtic lead McKenna race

Celtic have emerged as frontrunners in the race to sign Scott McKenna from Nottingham Forest. The Scotland defender has fallen out of favour at the City Ground and is expected to leave the Premier League club in January. Forest are to recoup a transfer fee for the 27-year-old, who has just six months left on this current contract. However, according to the Nottingham Post, Celtic are in pole position to land the defender in a possible loan move. Brendan Rodgers is a long-term admirer of the player having failed in a bid to sign him from Aberdeen during his first spell in charge of Celtic. McKenna is hoping to find first-team football in the second half of the season in order to secure his spot in Steve Clarke's Euro 2024 squad.

Kewell to raid Celtic

Recently-departed Celtic coach Harry Kewell is set to raid his former club to sign Japanese defender Yuki Kobayashi. Kewell left Parkhead last month to take over as the new head coach of J-League side Yokohama F Marino, who were previously managed by ex-Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou. Current Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is keen to trim his bloated squad in January and, according to the Daily Mail, Kewell is preparing a move to take the 23-year-old centre-back off his hands. Kobayashi has been touted for a return to Japan having failed to play a single minute of football under Rodgers this season.

Dons deny Duk 'bid'

Aberdeen insist they have not received an offer for attacker Luis 'Duk' Lopes despite reports claiming that they had knocked back a 2.5m euros bid from Swiss side Young Boys. Pittodrie sources have informed the Press & Journal that there has been no contact between the clubs after a report on fussballtransfers.com claimed Aberdeen were demanding 3m euros from the Bern-based outfit for their 23-year-old Cape Verde international. Duk has scored 23 goals for the Dons since making the move from Benfica in the summer of 2022. The Portuguese club are thought to be due 50 per cent of any transfer fee the Dons receive for the 23-year-old Cape Verde international.

Paton departs County

Ross County have confirmed the departure of defender Ben Paton following the expiry of his contract. The former Blackburn Rovers and Canadian yoth inteartional played 22 times for County and was part of the team that finished in the top six in season 2021-22. A County statement read: "We would like to thank Ben for his efforts and wish him all the best at his next club." Recently appointed manager Derek Adams is expected to recruit a number of new faces in January to put his own stamp on the squad he inherited from predecessor Malky Mackay in November.