Rumour Mill: Celtic want Sturgeon | Tierney to Man Utd? | Rangers eye Paredes | £100m '˜won't close Old Firm gap'

Celtic linked with Portuguese starlet; Mourinho keen on Tierney; Rangers linked with Watford right back and David Weir warns £100m '˜may not bridge gap' between Rangers and Celtic
Fabio Sturgeon is an attacking midfielder and has been linked with Celtic. Picture: Getty ImagesFabio Sturgeon is an attacking midfielder and has been linked with Celtic. Picture: Getty Images
Fabio Sturgeon is an attacking midfielder and has been linked with Celtic. Picture: Getty Images

Celtic linked with Portuguese youngster

Celtic have been credited with an interest in Portuguese youngster Fabio Sturgeon.

Born to an English dad and a Portuguese mum, Sturgeon is an attacking midfielder who Brendan Rodgers was keen on during his Liverpool tenure.

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Sturgeon, who turns 23 next month, has made close to 100 appearances for Belenenses, and was reportedly watched by representatives from Manchester United as well. (A Bola)

Rangers ready to break bank for Paredes

Rangers are reportedly keen on bringing Watford defender Juan Carlos Paredes to Ibrox, with the Hornets happy to listen to offers for the 29-year-old.

Ecuador international Paredes, who has had spells at Deportivo Cuenca, Barcelona SC and Deportivo Quito, is likely to cost around £2 million and if a deal was struck, would be Rangers’ most expensive signing since Nikica Jelavic in 2010.

Paredes can operate as a full back, wing back or winger and has made 68 international appearances. (Various)

Manchester United keen on Tierney

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is monitoring Celtic left-back Kieran Tierney and is considering a £10 million bid for the Scotland international.

The Parkhead side are unlikely to do business in the January window and Mourinho may have to wait until the summer to make his move for a player who is also on the radar of Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal. (Daily Record)

£100m not enough to close gap with Celtic

David Weir has warned Rangers supporters that £100 million of investment in the club may not be enough to bridge the gulf between the Ibrox side and Celtic.

Rangers assistant manager Weir has urged the club to take a longer-term strategy, focusing on player improvement, youth development and building up the infrastructure of the club.

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Rangers trail Celtic by 19 points going into the second half of the season. (Various)

Saints keen on Rangers winger

St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright admits he would love to bring Michael O’Halloran back to Perth.

The attacker has fallen out of favour at Rangers but Wright fears the Ibrox club would be reluctant to let him return to his former club on loan.

O’Halloran has made just 18 starts for Rangers since leaving St Johnstone a year ago. (Various)

Ipswich warns Hearts off Berra

Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy has told Hearts he would be “absolutely nuts” to allow Christophe Berra to leave in the January window.

Hearts have been credited with an interest in their former club captain but he is contracted to Ipswich until the end of the season and is a mainstay in the heart of the Championship club’s defence.

The Portman Road side also have the option to trigger a year’s extension to Berra’s deal. (The Sun)

Inverness bring in Anier

Richie Foran has vowed to do more business in the transfer window - less than a day after bringing in Henri Anier.

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Anier has experience of Scottish football with Motherwell, Dundee United and Hibs, and Foran tried to sign him in the summer, with the Estonian forward choosing to sign a short-term deal with Kalmar in Sweden.

Foran has already extended Larnell Cole’s loan deal and signed Irishman Dean Ebbe but has revealed the club are speaking to ‘one or two players’. (Inverness Courier)

Cardiff plan fresh bid for Aberdeen winger

Cardiff manager Neil Warnock is considering a fresh bid for Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes.

The Welsh side have already had a £500,000 offer for the player rejected by the Dons, with manager Derek McInnes telling the Championship side to “get serious”.

But Warnock has not been put off and says he is considering returning with an improved gambit. (BBC Scotland)

Kilmarnock bolster their defence

Kilmarnock have strengthened their defensive options with the signing of centre-back Karleigh Osborne from Plymouth.

The 28-year-old has agreed a two-year contract and could make his debut in Saturday’s Scottish Cup fourth round tie against Hamilton.

Osborne has had spells at Brentford, Millwall and Bristol City, along with loan deals at Oxford, AFC Wimbledon and Colchester among others. (Various)

NEWS IN BRIEF

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• Ex-Hibs and Celtic boss Tony Mowbray is being lined up to be the new manager of Chesterfield

• Fenerbahce boss Dick Advocaat has said any serious bid from Celtic for Hasan Ali Kaldirim will be considered

• Falkirk have not ruled out a move for Rangers winger Fraser Aird

• Scotland striker Johnny Russell is set to leave Derby for Birmingham City

• Hibs goalkeeper Otso Virtanen has returned to Finland after failing to settle in Scotland, and has signed for KuPS Kuopio in the Finnish top flight