Rumour Mill: Celtic deny Dembele bid | Rangers will sell prized assets | Cathro defends signing policy

Sources from within Celtic deny they received a £40million offer for Moussa Dembele, Mark Warburton admits Rangers will have to sell prized assets in the future, and Ian Cathro has defended his signing policy at Hearts having added nine new players in the window.
Moussa Dembele stayed at Celtic beyond the transfer window. Picture: John DevlinMoussa Dembele stayed at Celtic beyond the transfer window. Picture: John Devlin
Moussa Dembele stayed at Celtic beyond the transfer window. Picture: John Devlin

Celtic deny Dembele bid

Celtic sources have denied there was a £40million bid from Chelsea for Moussa Dembele, as reported in the striker’s home nation of France.

Moussa Dembele stayed at Celtic beyond the transfer window. Picture: John DevlinMoussa Dembele stayed at Celtic beyond the transfer window. Picture: John Devlin
Moussa Dembele stayed at Celtic beyond the transfer window. Picture: John Devlin
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Dembele travelled to London for a knee scan on transfer deadline day and would later allay the fears of Celtic fans by tweeting to tell them he was not leaving Parkhead. (Evening Times)

- Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has also insisted no offer was made, calling the story “pure speculation”. (Various)

Warburton admits Rangers will sell

Rangers boss Mark Warburton has revealed the club will sell their prized assets for the right price in order to improve the balance sheet.

Moussa Dembele stayed at Celtic beyond the transfer window. Picture: John DevlinMoussa Dembele stayed at Celtic beyond the transfer window. Picture: John Devlin
Moussa Dembele stayed at Celtic beyond the transfer window. Picture: John Devlin

Warburton says the strategy of finding value in the transfer market before ultimately selling players on for profit is a response to the disparity between Scottish football and the English Championship. (The Herald)

- Barrie McKay, seen by many as Rangers’ most prized asset, is set for talks with the Ibrox club over a new contract. The winger was the subject of speculation linking him with a £6million move to RB Leipzig during the transfer wiundow. (Daily Mail)

Cathro defends signings

Ian Cathro insists Hearts’ nine January signings do not represent a drastic overhaul as he considers handing another three players debuts against Rangers tonight.

“I think drastic would have been doing it if it wasn’t necessary,” said Cathro. “We were a short squad, we needed to bring in players, and also players left us. I think the bigger concern for me would have been had we not done what we have done.” (Evening News)

Motherwell fail in Ciftci bid

Motherwell failed in a late bid to sign Nadir Ciftci on loan from Celtic.

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Talks went on during the evening to try and recruit the striker for the remainder of the campaign, but a deal could not be agreed before the transfer window closed. (STV)

Ambrose left in limbo

Celtic defender Efe Ambrose is still waiting for confirmation that his loan move to Blackburn Rovers was completed prior to the January transfer window closing.

The move looked to be off earlier on transfer deadline day before it was resurrected at the 11th hour with Ambrose telling reporters the deal was done.

While the Scottish FA agreed with Ambrose, the English Football League is still investigating whether all the requisite paperwork was received prior to the 11pm deadline. (Evening Times)

McGregor wants Celtic to set “unbeatable record”

Callum McGregor claims this current Celtic side want to break records that can never be broken.

The Hoops will make it 18 consecutive Ladbrokes Premiership wins if they are able to better Aberdeen tonight. The British record, set by Martin O’Neill’s side in 2004, sits at 25. (Daily Record)

Goncalves a changed man

Hearts head coach Ian Cathro once warned that Esmael Goncalves needed breathalysed before training. Having signed for Hearts this week, the player insists he is a changed man.

Contracted until 2020, Goncalves credits family life with playing its part in taming his more reckless tendencies. “I am very different,” said Goncalves, “I have a wife, I have a baby, it is a different life. Now it is just about the football.” (The Scotsman)

Aberdeen want Hayes to sign new deal

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Derek McInnes was frustrated
in his attempts to make further additions to Aberdeen’s squad before the transfer window slammed shut but keeping Jonny Hayes at Pittodrie for the immediate future more than made amends for that.

McInnes intends stepping up efforts to get Hayes to extend his current deal with the club beyond the summer of 2018. Those talks will resume in the next few weeks. (The Scotsman)