Real Madrid are reportedly keeping tabs on Scott McTominay’s contract talks at Napoli, with the Spanish club interested in signing the 29-year-old Scotland midfielder at the end of the season. McTominay is now in his third season with the Serie A side, where his form has clearly drawn attention beyond Italy.
A return to Old Trafford, however, looks unlikely. Manchester United are not expected to bring McTominay back from Napoli, with the club instead targeting younger signings in the market.
In Romania, former Kilmarnock winger Danny Armstrong is poised to trigger a new contract with Dinamo Bucharest after helping the club to the top of the table as they chase a first title in 20 years. Dinamo sporting director Cosmin Mihalescu has confirmed that the new deal is on the verge of being activated.
Celtic have no plans to reignite a move for Marcelo Saracchi in any upcoming transfer window, despite the 28-year-old left-back being keen on a return. Saracchi left Boca Juniors for Houston Dynamo after his loan spell in Glasgow. Any chance of Celtic or Rangers reviving their interest in Fares Ghedjemis also appears to have ended, after the 24-year-old winger signed a contract extension with Frosinone running until 2030. The newly promoted Serie A club have placed an £18m price tag on the Algeria international.
Rangers would be able to land Excelsior centre-back Casper Widell for a fee of less than £2m in January if they remain interested, with the 23-year-old out of contract next summer.
One of those who has already had a spell at Ibrox, Bolton Wanderers centre-half Ben Davies, says he is grateful for experiencing Champions League, Europa League and cup finals with Rangers, but wishes it had been a more successful time for the team.
There is team news ahead of the weekend. Heart of Midlothian head coach Wouter Vrancken will make a decision in the coming days on whether injured midfielder Blair Spittal will be replaced in the club’s European squad. Striker James Wilson returned from Scotland Under-21 duty with a minor knock but is expected to be available for Hearts against St Mirren. At St Johnstone, centre-half Bozo Mikulic is poised to return to the starting XI for the first time in eight months against Aberdeen – two years since the 29-year-old was forced to pull out of a game at Pittodrie after being injured in the warm-up.
Two managers have been reflecting on short and difficult spells in charge. Wilfried Nancy insists he “loved” his 33 days as Celtic manager but believes he should have waited until January to take over rather than December, as some players were resistant to his methods having become too comfortable under caretaker manager Martin O’Neill. Mixu Paatelainen blames wrong timing for his seven-month spell as Dundee United manager and felt betrayed by the club after being sacked shortly after chairman Stephen Thompson said the Finn was not to blame for relegation.
Elsewhere, former Aberdeen youth defender Timothy Akindileni, now 19, says he moved to Queens Park Rangers 18 months ago because he did not feel there was a clear plan for his progression to the first team. Former Scotland striker Allan Brazil has revealed he was tentatively approached by Roma after impressing against the Italian club while playing for Ipswich Town. Slovan Liberec owner Ondrej Kania has said he strongly considered adding a Scottish club to his portfolio, but branded the infrastructure outwith the leading lights as “disastrous”, arguing it would have cost too much to improve sides lying outside the top six.