Hoops plan deadline day swoop as rivals eye new Walker move

Celtic are set to use some of their Champions League windfall on a late deadline-day swoop – but Rangers are refusing to be held to ransom in their pursuit of Jamie Walker.

Brendan Rodgers will see another £30 million deposited into the Parkhead coffers in the coming weeks after leading the Hoops back into the Champions League group stages.

And that means he will have cash to play with as tonight’s midnight cut-off point looms.

Having already secured number one target Patrick Roberts on a fresh one-year loan deal, Rodgers is now weighing up a similar move for 19-yearold PSG striker Odsonne Edouard as he looks to beef up his attacking options while Moussa Dembele continues his recovery from injury.

A centre-back also remains high on the Northern Irishman’s wishlist following the collapse of their move for Ajax Cape Town stopper Rivaldo Coetzee, but Press Association Sport understands a return for Manchester City’s Jason Denayer is not on the cards.

Meanwhile, Ibrox sources say Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha is not prepared to up his £500,000 offer for Hearts playmaker Walker.

The Light Blues manager had three bids for the Tynecastle attacker booted out back in June.

Caixinha remains keen on the 24-year-old but unless Gorgie bosses dramatically reduce their £1m asking price he will not be heading to Ibrox this week.

However, the Gers boss is confident he will be able to secure Walker on a pre-contract come January and hopes that may force the Jambos to think again before tonight’s deadline.

The Light Blues are also in talks with Cardiff over a move for Wales international full-back Declan John as they seek additional cover for Lee Wallace and James Tavernier.

Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes has been trailing Motherwell frontman Louis Moult for most of the summer but the arrival of Stevie May at Pittodrie looks to have put an end to that chase.

New Hearts manager Craig Levein has confirmed he is hoping to start his rebuilding work at Tynecastle with a couple of late additions, with Genoa striker Manuel Milinkovic one possible name.

Jordan McGhee – who has been linked to Falkirk – could be heading for the exit, as could goalkeeper Viktor Noring after dropping behind rivals Jack Hamilton and Jon McLaughlin.

Across Edinburgh, Hibernian boss Neil Lennon is rumoured to be interested in Forest Green striker Keanu Marsh-Brown but his more pressing concern is staving off Nottingham Forest’s interest in Scotland midfielder John McGinn.

Partick Thistle boss Alan Archibald is also on the hunt for a new full-back after seeing Callum Booth ruled out for three months, while Stephen Robinson fancies adding another defender and wide option to his Motherwell squad – with the former likely to become a more immediate search if Blackburn succeed with their bid for Ben Heneghan.

There is little business expected to be carried out at Hamilton, Kilmarnock and Ross County.