Celtic close in on signing, Rangers mull transfer raid, Hibs boss' confession - Scottish transfer news

Here are the top Scottish transfer headlines as the re-opening of the January transfer window begins, with the reports from Celtic, Rangers, Hibs, and the Scottish Championship.

SPFL club confirm appointment

Scottish Championship strugglers Airdrieonians have confirmed the permanent appointment of Aaron Taylor-Sinclair as their new head coach, following his impressive spell in interim charge. The 34-year-old former Partick Thistle player was handed the reins at the club temporarily following the sacking of Danny Lennon in October, and won five of his twelve games in charge as interim head coach, in all competitions.

Currently second bottom of the table, Taylor-Sinclair has managed to pull The Diamonds level on points with Queen’s Park in eighth position, while opening up a five-point gap to Ross County, who are currently rooted to the bottom of the table on just 13 points. “I’m delighted to get everything sorted, and I’m thankful for the opportunity to lead the club going forward,” said Taylor-Sinclair. “It’s been a positive two months, and the response from players, staff and supporters has been fantastic. I look forward to continuing the hard work and hopefully seeing more success as we move into the new year.”

Hibs midfielder Josh Mulligan has been linked with a move to the English Premier League this month. | SNS Group

Hibs boss makes confession on duo

Hibs boss David Gray admits he is not surprised to hear clubs are interested in key men Josh Mulligan and Kieron Bowie, but remains untroubled by the mounting interest in the Easter Road pair. Both players have been linked with January departures after impressing in the first half of the Scottish Premiership campaign, but the 37-year-old boss remains untroubled by speculation surrounding the duo.

Linked to Celtic, Leeds United, and Nottingham Forest in recent weeks, interest in Mulligan appears to be particularly high, but with the versatile midfielder having another four years to run on his deal in Leith, the head coach is choosing to remain level-headed when it comes to a potential departure this month.

“Those two are getting all the plaudits at the moment because of their performances,” said Gray. “But they’re also really hard-working, humble boys who are enjoying their football. And that’s the most important thing. If they keep doing that then there will be carrots there for them. Talk keeps coming up about them trying to force their way into Scotland’s World Cup squad. So all they can do is take care of their own performance levels and help the team as much as they can. If they can do that then naturally, as with other players, speculation will always be there. There’s nothing you can do about that but you need to keep your feet on the ground.”

Rangers have been credited with an interest in Motherwell midfielder Elliott Watt. | SNS Group

Rangers mull transfer raid

Rangers head coach Danny Rohl is considering a move for Motherwell midfielder Elliott Watt, according to reports. The 25-year-old has been a key player at Fir Park this season, with Jens Berthel Askou’s side performing above their pre-season expectations in fourth. However, they are now facing a battle to hang onto one of their star players after interest from Ibrox emerged in recent days.

A former Scotland youth international captain, Watt joined Motherwell in the summer from EFL League One outfit Burton Albion, having spent part of last season on loan at St Johnstone, and is contracted to the club for another 18 months. A standout performer in the 2-0 win over Celtic in midweek, reports claim that no official move has been made to his club yet. However, his impressive performances in the engine room this season have caught the attention of several clubs, which may prompt the Gers to move quickly to seal a deal.

Rangers have also been linked with a move for former Hearts left-back James Penrice, with reports earlier this week claiming the club had targeted the defender following his bright start to life at AEK Athens in the Greek Super League.

Celtic are set to sign Julian Araujo on loan until the end of the season. | Getty Images

Celtic close in on signing

Celtic head coach Wilfried Nancy is closing in on his first signing as manager at Parkhead, with AFC Bournemouth right-back Julian Araujo set to join the club on a long-term deal until the end of the season. According to reports, the former Barcelona player began his career in the MLS with LA Galaxy, where he won the club’s Young Player of the Year award in 2020 before making a move to the Nou Camp.

The Californian-born defender struggled for game time at Barcelona, but impressed during a loan spell with Las Palmas, before he was snapped up by the Cherries in the summer of 2024, signing a five-year deal with the club. However, he has struggled for first-team football at the Vitality Stadium this season, with his last appearance coming in a 2-0 defeat to Brentford in the Carabao Cup way back in August - and now Celtic are set to swoop.

Reports claim Mexican international Araujo has already touched down in Glasgow to put the finishing touches to a loan move, and could make his first start for the club in Saturday’s crucial clash against Rangers at Parkhead.

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