Spurs linked to Dembele move
● Rangers to try again for Hearts’ Walker as Hibs fend off Forest bids for Mcginn
Celtic are bracing themselves for a deadline day bid for Moussa Dembele, with Tottenham Hotspur the latest club to be credited with an interest in the striker.
The transfer window shuts at midnight tonight in Scotland and 11pm in England and it promises to be a fraught day.
Reports in France suggest that Spurs have met with Dembele’s representatives twice in the last week as they seek back-up for frontline striker Harry Kane.
Marseille and AC Milan have also been linked with Dembele, who would cost upwards of £30 million.
Celtic are set to use some of their Champions League windfall on deadline day, with manager Brendan Rodgers looking to sign a defender and also weighing up a loan move for 19-year-old Paris Saintgermain striker Odsonne Edouard as he looks to beef up his attacking options as uncertainty continues to surround Moussa Dembele who has been linked with Spurs.
Rodgers will see another £30 million deposited into the Parkhead coffers in the coming weeks after leading the club back into the Champions League group stage.
A centre-back is high on the Northern Irishman’s wishlist following the collapse of their move for Ajax Cape Town’s Rivaldo Coetzee, but any hopes he had of bringing Jason Denayer back to Celtic on loan have faded.
The Manchester City defender flourished at Parkhead in 2014-15 but was understood to be heading to Istanbul last night to join Galatasaray on a season-long loan.
Jonny Hayes will be staying put after Celtic’s summer signing from Aberdeen quashed suggestions he could be set for a quick-fire departure to Cardiff on loan.
Meanwhile, Rangers are understood to be preparing a late bid for Hearts playmaker Jamie Walker. The Ibrox club had three bids for the Tynecastle attacker booted out back in June.
Manager Pedro Caixinha remains keen on the 24- yearold but hearts want£1m for the player who is out of contract at the end of the season. Rangers remain confident they will be able to secure Walker on a precontract come January.
New Hearts manager Craig Levein is looking for a couple of late additions, with Genoa striker Manuel Milinkovic one possible name.
Jordan Mcghee – who has been linked with Falkirk – could be heading for the exit, as could goalkeeper Viktor Noring after dropping behind rivals Jack Hamilton and Jon Mclaughlin.
Across Edinburgh, Hibernian head coach 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. The English Championship side submitted a second bid for Mcginn yesterday but it is understood to have still fallen well short of Hibs’ valuation.