Rumour Mill: Warburton blasts Aston Villa '˜nonsense' | Rangers set to sign Senderos | Rodgers backs '˜cheat' Griffiths

Rangers' Mark Warburton hits back at claims he was to blame for a failed Lescott bid; Philippe Senderos poised to pen deal with Rangers; plus more news and gossip in Sunday's Rumour Mill

Rangers manager Mark Warburton. Picture: SNS Group

Mark Warburton hits back at Aston Villa

Rangers boss Mark Warburton has hit back at Aston Villa, insisting owner Dr Tony Xia was talking ‘nonsense’ over claims he scuppered a deal for Joleon Lescott.

Warburton denied that he was to blame for the deal falling through after his side’s win over Motherwell, claiming instead that Lescott didn’t want to move away from his family in Manchester.

Aston Villa were forced to deny rumours that Lescott collapsed after he failed a medical. (Various)

Rangers set to sign Senderos

Rangers are set to pen a two-year deal with Philippe Senderos by the end of the weekend in the wake of the aborted bid for Joleon Lescott.

Senderos will be flying back Glasgow to sign a contract after spending the week on trial at Ibrox.

The 31-year-old is a free agent after leaving Grasshopper Zurich earlier this summer. (Scottish Sun)

Brendan Rodgers backs ‘cheat’ Leigh Griffiths

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers backed striker Leigh Griffiths after he was booked for diving against St Johnstone on Saturday, insisting Griffiths was no cheat.

The Celtic striker was booked after throwing himself in a challenge from Saints’ Richard Foster.

Defending himself, Griffiths said: “There was contact in the box. I’m not going to go down unless there was contact.” (Sunday Mail)

Rangers signing Joe Garner

• Rangers midfielder Andy Halliday has welcomed the arrival of ‘quality’ signing Joe Garner.

As the club’s most expensive signing this summer, the Rangers striker insists the signing shows Rangers mean business.

He said: “The gaffer says we need that bit of quality to the squad. He’s obviously gone into the market [to get that].” (Scotland on Sunday)

Derek McInnes fires warning to Celtic

Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes insists his side’s first league win against Partick Thistle is the catalyst it needed to set them up for their upcoming clash with Celtic.

He said: “They [Celtic] have their mojo back... They look like they’ll take some stopping but that’s the challenge for us..”

Misfiring Dons finally got their Premiership campaign out of the starting block, surviving a late scare to see off the Jags on Saturday. (Sunday Mail)

Warburton ‘relucant’ to sign European players

Rangers boss Mark Warburton admitted he was reluctant to scout for signings in Europe as the club couldn’t afford the “luxury” of integrating them properly into the squad.

Nine of Warburton’s ten signings this summer have come from England, including the arrival of Joe Garner from Preston this weekend.

He said: “Sometimes players that you know is where to go. I knew Rob Kiernan, I knew Harry Forrester, I knew Lee Hodson... It’s those types of relationships that help us.” (Various)

IN BRIEF:

• Dundee have finalised a one-year deal for French defender Kevin Gomis. (Scottish Sun)

• Richie Foran has taken the blame for Caley Thistle’s trouncing at Hearts while promising reinforcements are on the way to Inverness. (Various)

• Goalscorers Iain Flannigan and Greig Spence helped Alloa to eight straight wins for the first time in their history. (Sunday Mail)

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