Excelsior centre-back Casper Widell says he came close to joining Rangers this summer, but the move fell through after an unnamed player refused to leave Ibrox. The 23-year-old defender, who remains with the Dutch club, has claimed that the blocked departure of an existing member of the squad was what prevented his own transfer from being completed.
Attention around Rangers’ midfield continues, with Nicolas Raskin the subject of two separate reports. One claims the 25-year-old is Besiktas’ main signing target for January, despite the Turkish club having failed to persuade him to join them during the summer. Another says the Belgium international, who appeared likely to be sold in the summer window, is keen to stay at Rangers to help push them towards the Scottish title this season, and that the Ibrox club do not wish to sell him until the end of the campaign.
Kilmarnock are set to sign goalkeeper Dave Richards on a short-term contract to ease their goalkeeping problems. The 32-year-old left Dundee United this summer.
Former Celtic forward Robbie Keane, who was linked with the Scottish champions as a managerial candidate this summer, says he has received plenty of approaches since leaving Ferencvaros. He is said to be happy to wait for the right opportunity.
Former Rangers owner Sir David Murray has claimed the club were unfairly targeted by tax authorities in 2012 and defended the use of EBT contracts. His comments come despite Simon Jordan saying he rejected the opportunity to use such contracts at Crystal Palace.
Dundee head coach Steven Pressley says the club will fast-track re-signing talks with six players who are out of contract next summer.
On squad valuations, Rangers have overtaken Celtic as the most valuable squad in Scotland, sitting at £132m after a 4.6% increase this summer and moving nearly £19m clear of their rivals. Heart of Midlothian are third at £22m following a 15.5% rise, St Mirren recorded the biggest percentage increase at 18.6%, and Hibernian had the biggest drop at 10%.
Former Celtic youth winger Karamoko Dembele, now 23 and with Queens Park Rangers, says a racist remark by a team-mate at a Scotland camp made it easier for him to change allegiance to England.
In other news, fit-again midfielder Eduardo Ageu scored as Hearts beat Dundee 4-3 in a training match, with defender Malachi Fagan-Walcott also returning from injury. Celtic winger Yang Hyun-jun has been told he will only play in the Asian Games final if he can prove he is fully fit, after sitting out the semi-final win over China with a hamstring strain. Switzerland striker Cedric Itten, now with Werder Bremen, says he still gets goosebumps thinking about his time with Rangers. And seventh-tier Ardrossan Winton Rovers will play at the Billy Gilmour Stadium for the next five years thanks to sponsorship from the Napoli and Scotland midfielder.