Rumour Mill: Newcastle and Palace want Celtic star | No Dembele-Griffiths duo

Celtic's Jozo Simunovic, right, is being looked at by a pair of English clubs. Picture: SNS

English sides want Simunvoic

Newcastle and Crystal Palace are keeping tabs on Celtic’s third-choice centre-back Jozo Simunovic.

The Croatian defender was set to move to Torino in January but the £4m move fell through at the last minute.

Simunovic has played on a handful of occasions this season but remains behind Kolo Toure and Erik Sviatchenko in the Parkhead pecking order. (Daily Mail)

Dembele-Griffiths duo unlikely

Brendan Rodgers has cooled talk of Leigh Griffiths and Moussa Dembele forming a strike-partnership similar to that of Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge.

The Celtic manager enjoyed great success when he was in charge of Liverpool by combining the two attackers in the starting XI.

But Rodgers insists you need to have the right players behind the strikers to make the system work and isn’t sure whether he has that at Parkhead. (Daily Record)

Rodgers looks to January

Brendan Rodgers is already looking towards the January transfer window and where he can strengthen his squad.

Adding to the midfield is said to the Celtic manager’s top priority, though he insists he won’t “stockpile” assets just for the sake of it. (Sunday Mirror)

Paatelainen: I could have turned United around

Mixu Paatelainen insists he still could have made a success of his spell at Dundee United had he been granted more time.

The Finnish manager was let go at the tail end of last season after United’s relegation to the Ladbrokes Championship was confirmed.

Despite this, he says he has few regrets and would not have done anything differently in his attempt to ensure the club’s survival. (Sun on Sunday)

Brown: Rangers defeat was wake-up call

Scott Brown says he owes a degree of debt to Rangers after the defeat in last season’s Scottish Cup semi-final.

The Celtic captain insists the Hampden heartache acted as a wake-up call, enabling him to realise he was struggling to keep up with the demands of performing for both Scotland and Celtic.

Brown retired from international football earlier this season and has been earning rave reviews for his improved performances. (Sunday Post)

McInnes wants to create new era

A delighted Derek McInnes challenged his Aberdeen players to “create an era” and, following their victory over Morton, go on and win the Betfred Cup.

The Dons gaffer doesn’t want the legacy of himself and his players to be limited to one League Cup final triumph in 2014. (Scotland on Sunday)

Dalglish calls for fans to behave

Celtic legend Kenny Dalglish has called on fans to respect one another at today’s Old Firm semi-final and not use the occasions as an excuse for “other things”.

Dalglish’s former club won the last fixture 5-1, but events on the pitch were marred by shameful acts off it. (Sunday Post)

Uefa given ultimatum

The prospect of top-flight Scottish games being staged on the same nights as Champions League fixtures, possibly as early as next season, has moved a significant step forward in what would be the biggest shake-up of European club football for years.

Europe’s top leagues, including the SPFL, voted overwhelmingly on Friday to hand UEFA a six-month deadline to unpick controversial changes to the Champions League that will increase the financial gap between the haves and have-nots. (Scotland on Sunday)

NEWS IN BRIEF

• EX-Aston Villa director of recruitment Paddy Reilly is being considered for the chief scout role at Celtic. (The Sun)

• Mark Warburton insists his loyalty to the 4-3-3 system does not make Rangers predictable. (Scotland on Sunday)

• The SFA are using a head-hunting firm to try and find the next Scotland Performance Director. (Sunday Mail)

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Rumour Mill: Newcastle and Palace want Celtic star | No Dembele-Griffiths duo | Rodgers to add in January