Rumour Mill: Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool eye Tierney | Brown to miss Scotland games

Celtic defender Kieran Tierney has been linked with a multimillion-pound move to Arsenal or Manchester City during the summer. Picture: SNS Group/Craig Williamson

Arsenal, City and Liverpool tracking Kieran Tierney

CELTIC’s 18-year old left back Kieran Tierney is believed to be a transfer target for Arsenal this summer.

It is understood that the Gunners are looking to offer around £5m for the Celtic player to bring him to the Emirates, with Manchester City and Liverpool also said to be considering the star.

Tierney has three years left to run on his Celtic contract. (Various)

Scott Brown to miss Scotland games with injury

SCOTT Brown is set to pull out of Scotland’s matches against Italy and France after revealing he has brought his club season to a premature end because of injury.

The midfielder, who will be 31 next month, has been playing for Celtic over the past month despite problems with both of his hamstrings.

Brown said: “I think that’s me done and dusted now for the season. I need to close down for a few weeks and just concentrate on my fitness.” (Various)

Livi knock back Rangers bid for Knox

RANGERS have reportedly had a £75,000 bid for Livingston starlet Matthew Knox knocked back by the West Lothian outfit.

Mark Warburton admitted after the Lions had defeated Rangers 1-0 that he was keen on adding Knox to his Ibrox ranks.

While Warburton has insisted he will add players capable of competing in the Premiership, the ex-Brentford boss has made no secret of his desire to build for the future as well. (Various)

Deila celebrates five-in-a-row

ABERDEEN delayed official confirmation of Celtic’s fifth successive league title with their own win over Motherwell on Saturday, leaving the reigning champions nine points clear with three games remaining.

But with a superior goal difference of 35 in Celtic’s favour, the race is effectively over before the Dons travel to Parkhead on Sunday, with Deila almost set to receive the Premiership trophy on Sunday 15 May.

Speaking after Celtic’s win over Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday, Deila said: “I came from first grade to tenth grade when I came to Celtic. I didn’t understand what I went into.

“Five-in-row doesn’t happen many times and we have to enjoy it and I enjoyed it – I can assure you of that.” (Various)

O’Dea’s sympathy for Dundee United

DUNDEE defender Darren O’Dea has revealed that the club will not celebrate if they win tonight’s game against Dundee United, as both Arabs staff and players are likely to lose their jobs if they are relegated.

The Irishman said: “I think all the attention is on Dundee United’s situation and there are people at the club there who will probably lose their jobs. So it is not something to celebrate.

“Obviously, fans are different but as players we are just concentrating on ourselves and we want to win.” (Daily Mail)

Alan Stubbs: Bring on ‘seven cup finals’

HIBERNIAN head coach Alan Stubbs is relishing the prospect of “seven cup finals” between now and 24 May as he sought to look on the bright side of finishing third in the Championship.

The club could face seven games in 21 days, starting with Wednesday’s trip to play Raith in the first leg of their quarter-final play-off. They also have a Scottish Cup final to play against Rangers, which Stubbs hopes will be bookended by a play-off final against whoever finishes 11th in the Premiership.

“We have got seven cup finals now. It is great. I am looking forward to it. Big games, big attitudes, big appetites. That is what we have to prepare for,” he said. (The Scotsman)

Aberdeen’s striker worries

ABERDEEN may face Celtic without two of their first-choice strikers, after injuries to Simon Church and Adam Rooney.

A Dons win at Celtic Park this coming weekend would keep the champagne on ice but the Hoops have all but tied up their fifth title on the bounce with a superior goal difference.

However, McInnes fears he will be without Church and Rooney after both were forced off in the win over Motherwell. (The Scotsman)

Hearts punished by mistakes says Ozturk

CELTIC’s 3-1 victory over Hearts at the weekend saw the Hoops extend an unbeaten run against the Edinburgh side to 15 games.

And Hearts centre-back Alim Ozturk admitted: “Losing at Motherwell wasn’t good enough last week and on Saturday there were individual mistakes.

“Wherever you finish, at least third in the league, is really good after coming from the Championship. We have lost two games in a row and maybe people think, ‘they are happy with third place’, but we still want to keep winning games.” (Evening News)

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Willo Flood says that club teammate Jonny Hayes is the best player in the SPFL at the moment, after Celtic’s Leigh Griffiths won the PFA Player of the Year award

• Kilmarnock’s Josh Magennis has called for a continuation of their strong form for the remainder of the season

• Alex Rae is already targeting ten new signings after revealing as many as 13 players could exit St Mirren in the summer

Rumour Mill: Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool eye Tierney | Brown to miss Scotland games | Rangers bid for Knox rejected