Scotland are gearing up for their final World Cup Group C clash against Brazil in Miami but things are already beginning to happen back home on the transfer front.
Rangers Move Swiftly for McInnes and Shankland
Rangers moved swiftly to appoint Derek McInnes at Ibrox after Danny Rohl jumped ship to RB Salzburg. Lawrence Shankland was through the door before the new boss arrived, but could another Scotland international be next? Gers fans are still longing for former academy youngster Lewis Ferguson to make a return to his boyhood club, although convincing Bologna to part with their captain would likely require a club-record outlay. Could Nicolas Raskin emerge as part of a deal to bring the midfielder back north of the border?
Celtic Face Summer of Change
It's shaping up to be a summer of change at Celtic. Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate continue to attract interest, while Arne Engels has outlined the timeframe that could determine whether he remains in Glasgow beyond the window.
Hearts Active After Manager and Captain Departures
Hearts are also moving quickly following the departures of both their manager and captain. Malachi Fagan-Walcott has already arrived from York City, while a reported €1million move for Beerschot goalkeeper Sabri Guendouz is said to be close.
Other Scottish Clubs Make Moves
Elsewhere, Falkirk have banked a healthy windfall from Barney Stewart's switch to West Brom, Hibs have completed the signing of Jason Kerr, and Aberdeen have added further experience with the arrival of Connor Ronan. St Mirren look increasingly likely to lose Conor McMenamin to ambitious Irish opposition, while Kilmarnock have bolstered their ranks by landing goalkeeper Calum Ferrie from Queen's Park.
Celtic Pre-Season Begins with Sparse Squad
Martin O'Neill will welcome a threadbare Celtic squad back to Lennoxtown on Friday as pre-season finally kicks into gear. The champions’ non-international stars will swap the sunloungers for the running track as the Double-winners begin their bid for six-in-a-row and another shot at Champions League football. But several big hitters will be missing, with eight first-team stars still on World Cup duty. Scotland pair Kieran Tierney and Anthony Ralston are on the brink of history as Steve Clarke’s men chase a first-ever place in the knockout stages. Auston Trusty has already booked his ticket to the last 32 after helping the USA top Group D, while Alistair Johnston is earning rave reviews after Canada’s eye-catching 6-0 demolition of Qatar. Benjamin Nygren has started both of Sweden’s matches, Yang has featured for South Korea, but Sebastian Tounekti will be the first Celt heading home after Tunisia’s elimination was confirmed following a 4-0 defeat to Daizen Maeda’s Japan. With so many still away on international duty, O’Neill may not have his full title-winning squad back together until the end of next month at the earliest.
Ryan Jack on Why McInnes Will Succeed at Rangers
Ryan Jack knows exactly how Derek McInnes must have felt when walking out on his Tynecastle love-in. In both men’s cases, it was the longing for club they grew up supporting that forced them to upset those who’d previously been their biggest admirers. The ironic thing is that in Jack’s case, the man he disappointed most when he opted to quit Aberdeen and sign for Rangers was McInnes himself. It was back in 2017 when the then Pittodrie skipper left the Red Army seething and McInnes stunned by opting to make a Bosman switch to the Dons’ bitter foes in Glasgow.
