Friday's Scottish Gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Trabzonspor have joined Atletico Madrid in expressing an interest in Celtic's Georgios Samaras, with the Greece striker's representatives having spoken to both clubs about a possible £750,000 deal this month.

Full story: Daily Record

Stromsgodset have confirmed that Celtic have expressed an interest in signing Stefan Johansen and that the Norway midfielder is unlikely to sign a new contract but stress that the Scottish champions face competition from Aston Villa among other clubs.

Full story: The Herald

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has confirmed his interest in Stromsgodset midfielder Stefan Johansen and the Scottish champions may make a bid this weekend to fend off a string of other clubs, including Roma, Aston Villa and Everton, interested in the £2m-rated Norway international.

Full story: The Sun (print edition)

Yann Songo'o is being linked with Kilmarnock after turning down Ross County

Falkirk technical director Alex Smith says that full-back Stephen Kingsley, who has been linked with a £500,000 move to Celtic, is generating a lot of interest from clubs in Scotland and England.

Full story: The Herald

Falkirk defender Will Vaulks could win a move to Blackburn Rovers after the 20-year-old was offered a trial with the Championship club.

Full story: Daily Mail (print edition)

Swansea City are considering a £200,000 bid for teenage Hearts midfielder Adam King, with the administration-hit Edinburgh club likely to find it hard to turn down the cash injection despite the impact on manager Gary Locke's small squad.

Full story: Daily Record

Hearts have accepted a £250,000 bid from Swansea City for midfielder Adam King, with the 18-year-old being loaned back to the Scottish Premiership club until the end of the season.

Full story: The Sun (print edition)

The Scottish Premier League has told Hearts they can sign players despite the embargo imposed for being in administration - but only in exceptional circumstances.

Full story: Daily Express

Hearts have failed in a bid to bring back Andrew Driver by exploiting what they thought was a loophole in their signing embargo, the winger having left on loan to Houston Dynamo in February before being released in November.

Full story: Daily Record (print edition)

Kilmarnock are weighing up a loan move for Blackburn Rovers defender Yann Songo'o, who turned down a move to Ross County because he did not want to move that far north, but have decided they cannot afford to re-sign midfielder Alexei Eremenko from Kairat Almaty.

Full story: Daily Express (print edition)

Ross County manager Derek Adams says negotiations with Notts County over the signing of 25-year-old French striker Yoann Arquin have suffered a hitch.

Full story: Press and Journal

Former Hearts and Dundee United midfielder Rudi Skacel is being linked with Alloa

Rangers will hold transfer talks with Cyprus international Athos Solomou next week, when the Apoel Nicosia full-back and his agent arrive in Glasgow to discuss a pre-contract agreement to join the League One leaders in the summer.

Full story: The Scotsman

Partick Thistle are hoping to give Dean Shiels a chance to return to Scotland's top flight on loan until the summer after the Northern Ireland midfielder fell out of favour with League One leaders Rangers.

Full story: The Sun (print edition)

Talks between Ally McCoist and Rangers chief executive Graham Wallace are expected to continue over the coming days, but so far the manager has not been told to sell any of his top stars as the Ibrox club consider cost-cutting measures.

Full story: Daily Record

Hibernian manager Terry Butcher has revealed that Jamie Murphy was a signing target and he had spent time in negotiations before the former Motherwell forward started scoring goals again for Sheffield United.

Full story: The Scotsman

Apoel Nicosia full-back Athos Solomou is being linked with Rangers

Defender Chris Hogg, who left Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the summer, has confirmed his retirement from professional football for family reasons at the age of only 28.

Full story: The Scotsman

Motherwell forward James McFadden has revealed that he considered quitting football earlier this season as the form that won him Scotland caps deserted him amid injury problems.

Full story: The Sun (print edition)

Everton manager Roberto Martinez says he will wait until the summer until completing the signing of Glasgow-born Republic of Ireland winger Aidan McGeady as the 27-year-old will be available for free and there are "too many difficulties" in a January transfer from Spartak Moscow.

Full story: The Sun (print edition)

Hull City manager Steve Bruce has joined the race for Everton's former Rangers striker, Nikica Jelavic, after growing frustrated in his pursuit of West Brom forward Shane Long and Sunderland's Scotland striker, Steven Fletcher.

Full story: Daily Mail

West Ham United are considering a move for Nottingham Forest's Scottish manager, Billy Davies, if they sack Sam Allardyce.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

Former Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay is being considered as an option by the West Ham United board should they sack manager Sam Allardyce.

Full story: Daily Mail

Former Hearts midfielder Rudi Skacel is poised to sign for Alloa Athletic until the summer after the 24-year-old left Slavia Prague.

Full story: The Sun (print edition)

Hibernian have sent 20-year-old striker Ross Caldwell on loan to Championship outfit Alloa Athletic.

Full story: Daily Record (print edition)

East Fife midfielder Stephen Hughes has joined Kevin Thomson, who has been told he can leave Hibernian, in Dundee's list of signing targets, while former Hearts striker Christian Nade is poised to train with the club next week.

Notts County striker Yoann Arquin is a loan signing target for Ross County

Full story: Evening Telegraph

Former Scotland defender Garry Kenneth, released by Bristol Rovers, has told Arbroath and Montrose he is holding out for a full-time club.

Full story: The Courier

Hamilton Accies are hoping to sign 18-year-old Celtic midfielder Paul George on loan until the summer.

Full story: The Sun (print edition)

Dunfermline Athletic have escaped punishment from the Scottish Professional Football League over the signing of Jordan Moore, Ryan Ferguson and Luke Johnstone from Dundee United last summer because the new body did not realise the League One outfit had broken its rule limiting loan signings from another club to one.

Full story: Daily Record (print edition)

OTHER GOSSIP

Andy Murray has hit back at accusations over his hunger to be world number one, with the Wimbledon champion defending himself in an online spat over his remark that "he'd be content with his achievements" if his career ended tomorrow.

Full story: Daily Record

Mark Lemon, who had a disappointing spell with Plymouth Devils in the last speedway season, has become the latest addition to Glasgow Tigers' squad.

Full story: Daily Record