Rumour Mill: Celtic and Rangers could quit SPFL | Warburton planning for January | Dembele going nowhere

Celtic and Rangers could quit the SPFL in favour of joining a newly formed Atlantic League, Mark Warburton is looking ahead to January and potential loan signings from England, and Brendan Rodgers insists Moussa Dembele is staying at Celtic Park.

Celtic and Rangers could be about to join a new Atlantic League. Picture: John Devlin

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Celtic and Rangers could quit SPFL

Celtic and Rangers could quit the SPFL to join a newly formed Atlantic League after an FC Copenhagen director revealed talks had already taken place.

Parkhead chief Peter Lawwell contacted clubs from around Europe earlier this year about forming a new super league, while discussions are said to have progressed since plans to make the Champions League more of a closed shop became public.

The new league is thought to contain 12-16 teams from around Scotland, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. (Daily Record)

Strachan to stay

Gordon Strachan is to remain as national manager after meeting key figures within the Scottish Football Association to seek assurances he retained the support of the governing body.

The 59-year-old is understood to have been satisfied with the talks and will now lead Scotland out at Wembley in next month’s World Cup qualifier against England. (The Scotsman)

Warburton looking to January

Mark Warburton is already looking toward the January window and any reinforcements he could make after the Rangers boss revealed he’d met with London clubs during a trip home.

Warburton has previously brought in players from Arsenal and Tottenham on loan and is thought to have discussed potential targets during his stay in the capital. (Evening Times)

Barton time at Rangers ‘over’ - Boyd

Kris Boyd believes Joey Barton’s time as a Rangers player has come to an end.

The midfielder’s club suspension was extended by another week on Monday, meaning he’ll have been away from the first-team for an entire month when he’s due to return next week, though many are expecting a parting of ways to occur.

Boyd believes Barton’s late pre-season start has been one of the “mistakes” made by the former England international. (Evening Times)

Rodgers: Dembele not for sale

Brendan Rodgers insists Moussa Dembele isn’t going anywhere any time soon, as interest in the talented Celtic striker increases.

PSG became the latest European giant linked with the talented 20-year-old, who has made a storming start to life in Glasgow.

Rodgers insists the player chose Glasgow to develop his career over a number of years, not to merely leave after six months. (HITC/Celtic TV)

Rodgers unaware of Karamoko Dembele debut

Brendan Rodgers has expressed his concern over the frenzied reaction to 13-year-old Karamoko Dembele’s debut for the Celtic under-20s earlier this month and has warned that the precocious talent will “become a statistic” if he is not allowed to develop away from the glare of publicity.

Celtic manager Rodgers revealed he was unaware that Dembele had been called into the club’s full time development squad for their SPFL under-20 fixture against Hearts at Cappielow two weeks ago. (The Scotsman)

Rangers ‘better without Barton’

Ian Durrant reckons Rangers are a stronger unit without Joey Barton and has questioned the controversial midfielder’s very public persona.

Barton is now in the fourth week of a club suspension, and a parting of ways seems inevitable.

The ban was a result of a training ground altercation with team-mate Andy Halliday in the wake of the 5-1 defeat by Celtic. (The Scotsman)

Souttar ready for abuse

Abuse from Dundonians is nothing new to John Souttar, who will arrive at Tynecastle tomorrow expecting more of the same.

The Hearts defender suffered fans’ criticism at previous club Dundee United, and was naturally disliked by Dens Park supporters because he played at Tannadice. (Evening News)

Rodgers: Scotland lack stability

Having spent all of 30 years waiting for his own country to return to a major tournament finals, Brendan Rodgers can’t be expected to have too much sympathy for those lamenting the now likely prospect of Scotland’s absence from the main stage stretching to just two decades.

But if there is a lesson Scotland can learn from Rodgers’ native Northern Ireland, it is surely that an international team can achieve success by being greater than the sum of its parts. (The Scotsman)

Holt: Rangers wary of King threat

Jason Holt knows a familiar and friendly face could pose the biggest threat to Rangers’ hopes of building the winning momentum they crave in the Premiership tonight.

Billy King, a former team-mate and close pal of Holt’s at Hearts, spent the second half of last season on loan at the Ibrox club and is now enjoying a season-long temporary stint at Inverness Caledonian Thistle. (The Scotsman)

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Willo Flood and Cammy Bell are in contention to make a return from injury this weekend when Dundee United travel to St Mirren.

• Raith Rovers’ clash with Hibs is bigger than Rudi Skacel or Gary Locke, insists the Raith boss. (The Scotsman)

• Dundee have sold out their away allocation for this weekend’s trip to Tynecastle. (Dundee FC)

• Alan Atchibald has labelled Partick Thistle’s clash with Hamilton a “six-pointer”. (Evening Times)

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