Rumour Mill: Celtic reject Izaguirre bid | Sports Direct protest planned for Ibrox | Fyvie faces Cup final sweat
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Getafe bid for Izaguirre thrown out
CELTIC rejected a bid for Emilio Izaguirre during the January transfer window, it has been revealed.
La Liga side Getafe were keen on taking the Honduran international to Spain, but Celtic reportedly felt the 29-year-old was too valuable to lose.
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Hide AdIzaguirre, who played with Motagua in his homeland between 2003 and 2010, joined Celtic after projected moves to Ipswich, Anderlecht and Toronto fell through. (Various)
Fyvie ‘out for up to four weeks’
HIBS midfielder Fraser Fyvie is facing a race against time to be fit for next month’s League Cup final after being ruled out of tomorrow’s Tynecastle derby with a knee injury.
Fyvie was caught late by Morton substitute Jai Quitongo – son of former Hearts winger Jose – in the dying minutes of Tuesday night’s 1-0 victory at Cappielow.
Alan Stubbs confirmed Fyvie sustained a slight medial ligament injury which will keep him out for “three to four weeks” – a tight timescale if the former Aberdeen and Wigan player is to face Ross County at Hampden on March 13. (Evening News)
Sports Direct protests planned for Ibrox
RANGERS fans are to hold further protests against Sports Direct just days after Dave King revealed he was eyeing an end to the retail partnership with Mike Ashley’s firm.
Supporters are planning on staging a mass protest in the 18th minute by holding up banners around the stadium. There will also be a pre-match demonstration outside the ground.
King revealed that the Ibrox club had served notice to the retail giant to end their relationship with regards to the retail contract, triggering a seven-year notice period. (Daily Record)
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Hide AdGive Kilmarnock a kicking, urges Warburton
RANGERS boss Mark Warburton has urged his Ibrox side to ‘give Kilmarnock a kicking’ in order to exorcise the ghost of the cup defeat to St Johnstone.
He said: “I am sick of hearing about St Johnstone. I think on the night we made a couple of mistakes and got punished and we didn’t take our chances.
“Maybe if we beat Killie people will stop talking about St Johnstone but we’re in a good position. We’re eight points clear, we’ve got the Petrofac Cup Final, we’re in the Scottish Cup, so things are going well but there’s a long way to go.” (Daily Record)
We’ll win title, insists Brown
SCOTT Brown has insisted that Celtic will win their fifth league title in a row, dismissing any challenge from Aberdeen.
Despite losing 2-1 to the Dons midweek, Hoops skipper Brown - who is aware Aberdeen can draw level at the top if they beat St Johnstone today - said: “There is always a title race but, at the end of the day, we will win the league again. Am I absolutely certain about that? Yes.
“Aberdeen will fight us all the way to the end of the season but we are three points clear, we know what we have to do and we know how to do it.” (Scottish Sun)
United hit by ‘flu
THE DUNDEE United squad has been hit by a flu bug this week, with Mixu Paatelainen sweating ove his team’s fitness ahead of the Partick Thistle cup clash.
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Hide AdWhile he declined to name names, Mixu insisted that the Tannadice squad is big enough to cope with the problems, adding: “We would never have requested a cancellation as we have enough cover and our squad is well balanced and big enough to cope.
“We will still have enough players for a team to face Partick Thistle but we will need to wait and see who is fit and healthy as I do not know who will be playing yet.” (Courier)
NEWS IN BRIEF
• Celtic midfielder Callum McGregor was reportedly arrested on suspicion of drink-driving at around 3am on Friday morning. The 22-year-old was pulled over in Robroyston for alleged traffic offences
• Patrick Roberts shone in his debut for the Celtic development squad - the on-loan Manchester City player scored one and set up three as the Wee Hoops beat Motherwell 4-0 on his 19th birthday
• Kris Commons has revealed a bout of severe tonsilitis is keeping him out of the Celtic squad, after the ex-Scotland international shared a picture on his Instagram
• Ahead of Hearts v Hibs this weekend, we take a look at nine unlikely Derby heroes from over the years >>>