Rumour Mill: Chelsea to sign Rangers wonderkid | Mancini wants to manage Celtic | '˜Bring on England'
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Chelsea win Gilmour battle
Chelsea have won the battle to sign 15-year-old Rangers prospect Billy Gilmour, according to the Scottish Sun. The midfielder will turn 16 this summer and will be able to sign his first professional contract. Though he is signed to Rangers, he’s free to chose any club of his pleasing for his first pro-deal and it appears the English Premier League leaders have beaten off competition from Arsenal to land the youngster. It is being reported that Chelsea will pay Rangers £500,000 in compensation. (The Sun)
Mancini open to managing Celtic
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Hide AdFormer Manchester City and Inter boss Roberto Mancini has said he’d like to manage Celtic one day - as long as the Glasgow club continue to qualify for the Champions League every season. The Italian is looking for Celtic to take the next step and show they belong among Europe’s elite. He also believes Pedro Caixinha to be a good choice of manager for rivals Rangers. (Scottish Sun)
Ciftci urged to get fit
Celtic loanee Nadir Ciftci has been criticised for his lack of fitness amid a disappointing start for Polish side Pogon Szczecin. The striker has failed to find the back of the net in any of his first six games, with the club going winless over that spell. Manager Kazimierz Moskal still has faith the signing will come good once he gets more games under his belt. (Daily Record)
‘Bring on England’
James Forrest believes Scotland are ready for their 10 June clash with England after beating Slovenia 1-0 at Hampden. The Celtic winger insists Scotland were unlucky to lose the first encounter between the sides and feels the renewed confidence can help the Tartan Army avenge the earlier defeat by the Auld Enemy. (Evening Times)
Strachan hails best display yet
Gordon Strachan hailed what he regards as Scotland’s best performance of his managerial tenure so far after they defeated Slovenia 1-0 at Hampden to revive their 2018 World Cup qualifying hopes. Substitute Chris Martin scored the only goal with two minutes remaining on a night when anything less than victory would almost certainly have spelled the end of Strachan’s time in charge of the national team. “It was probably the best they have played under me,” said Strachan. (The Scotsman)
Armstrong debut among ‘best ever’
Stuart Armstrong might have had the best debut of any Scotland player ever, according to national team boss Gordon Strachan. The Celtic midfielder came straight into the starting XI for his first cap against Slovenia and looked completely at home in his surroundings. The 24-year-old completed a man-of-the-match performance in front of a half-full Hampden by providing the assist for Chris Martin’s winning-goal. (The Scotsman)
Strachan on Martin criticism
Scotland boss Gordon Strachan believes goalscorer Chris Martin to be in “great company” after the striker was booed by the Hampden Park crowd. The Fulham striker came off the bench to replace James Morrison with eight minutes remaining and would later go on to score the winning goal. When asked about the reception the player received when he first entered the park, Strachan compared him to Scotland greats of the past who found themselves on the receiving end of criticism from the Tartan Army. (The Scotsman)
Bell happy to wipe away bad memories
Goalkeeper Cammy Bell insists he’s wiped away the bad memories of Fir Park after helping Dundee United to lift the Irn-Bru Cup on Saturday. Bell was playing at the same ground where he made the most infamous error of his career during the play-off final second-leg against Motherwell while playing for Rangers. He now feels that moment has been laid to rest after lifting the lower league trophy following United’s 2-1 victory. (Daily Record)
Taunts inspired Keatings
James Keatings today revealed how taunts that he was “all left foot” led to his stunning winner against Falkirk, a victory which sent Hibs ten points clear at the top of the Championship. The game was two minutes into added-on time when the striker cut in from the left and hit an unstoppable shot with his supposedly weaker right foot to clinch a 2-1 win which Bairns boss Peter Houston said all but guaranteed the Capital club the title. (Edinburgh News)