Rangers fresh exit link, Celtic deal for 'future star' hits snag, Hearts departure mooted - transfer news

Hearts departure mooted

Hearts striker Liam Boyce is edging closer to an exit from the club as the Jambos look to to free up space in their wage budget. According to reports, the Northern Irishman is expected to seal a move to Derry City, with talks between the two clubs expected to take place over the weekend.

The League of Ireland side will kick off their pre-season preparations next week and are hoping to have the 33-year-old Belfast man signed up in time to take part. Despite Boyce starting Hearts’ last three games alongside teenage talent James Wilson, the report claims the Tynecastle forward is tempted to make the switch in order to guarantee himself regular first team football, while the switch also offers him the opportunity to move to closer to his family in Northern Ireland. One of the club’s higher earners, the transfer will also free up space in Hearts wage bill, should it be completed.

Liam Boyce is heading towards an exit from Hearts. | SNS Group

Gers starlet completes loan switch

Rangers have confirmed that young midfielder Cole McKinnon has completed a loan move to Scottish Championship promotion hopefuls Ayr United until the end of the season. The versatile 21-year-old made his debut for the club on final day of the 2022/22 season when he scored in a 3-1 victory over Hearts after replacing replaced Aaron Ramsey as a 60th minute substitute. However, McKinnon has only made sporadic first team appearances since then, despite being named as the club’s academy player of the year in 2024.

“I’ve been dying to get out and play football,” McKinnon to Ayr United’s official website. “It has been frustrating [not playing] but you need to remember I have been training at a really high level with Rangers first team, and I’ve dropped into the academy to get some games there. But you need to get more games, it needs to be a regular thing at 3pm on a Saturday, you miss it. I’ve had a few appearances, played in Europe and some of the cups, but now it is now about the next step, going out on loan and getting some minutes.

Cole McKinnon has departed Rangers on loan. | SNS Group

Celtic deal for ‘future star’ in doubt after new development

Celtic could be set to miss out on a 17-year-old striker the club have identified as a ‘future star’ after reports claimed the player would prefer a move to the English Premier League. According to The Sun, St Patrick’s Athletic teenager striker Mason Melia is a target former Celtic, Tottenham Hotspur, Eintracht Frankfurt and Genk after he scored six goals in his debut season in the League Of Ireland for The Saints. Reports say the Scottish champions are ‘very interested’ in the player, though the player is said to be keen on making a switch to the England and would prefer to join Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs.

The North London outfit saw a bid of £1million rejected for the teenager recently and, as yet, have not returned with a new offer, leaving the striker in limbo as he looks to make a decision on his next move. Should Tottenham opt against a move for Melia, it could open up the door for Brendan Rodgers side to make a move, though Melia cannot join a British club officially until January 2026 due to Brexit rules, ruling out a January switch to Celtic or Tottenham. However, a deal for the teenager could still be agreed this month, and then completed in a year’s time.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers during the 2-0 win over Dundee United. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group) | SNS Group

Ex-Rangers midfielder makes Liverpool loan switch

Scotland international and former Rangers midfielder Sam Kerr has completed a move to Women’s Super League outfit Liverpool, joining the Reds on a six-month loan deal from Bayern Munich. A four time Scottish Women’s Premier League title winner with Glasgow City, Kerr also spent three seasons with Rangers after joining the club in 2020, where she helped the club win their maiden title. The 25-year-old was also named the Scotland Player of the Year for 2022 before her move to the Bundesliga.

Speaking to LiverpoolFC.com, Kerr said: “I feel like my career in the last few years has really changed a lot. I obviously moved to Germany and that was a challenge itself, being in that intense environment with such world-class players has been really good for my development. Obviously I’ve grown into the role with the national team, which has been really good. I’m hoping to bring my experience and the things I’ve learned over the last couple of years to Liverpool in this loan move.”

Ex-Rangers midfielder Sam Kerr has signed for Liverpool on loan from Bayern Munich (Photo: Liverpool FC/Andrew Powell)

Dessers in fresh exit link

Rangers out-of-favour striker Cyriel Dessers could be offered an Ibrox exit route this month after reports claimed a former admirer was set to be readying a new bid for his services. The 29-year-old Nigerian has fallen down the pecking order under Philippe Clement, with free-scoring Hamza Igamane and newly-fit Danilo preferred to Dessers over the last two months, with the Ibrox hierarchy said to be happy to sanction a departure this month.

The club were reported to have accepted an offer of £4.5million from MLS club Atlanta United in the summer, however, Dessers rejected the move in order to reignite his Rangers career. Just six months on, Italian outfit Cagliari are set to test Rangers resolve with a fresh move for the forward. Reports in Italy say that the Serie A strugglers will make their third attempt to sign the player this month. Dessers has just 18 months remaining on his current deal.