Sunday's Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Celtic are poised to increase their bid for striker Stefan Scepovic to £3.2m - after having an initial offer of £2m thrown out by Spanish club Sporting Gijon - in an attempt to beat PSV Eindhoven to the 24-year-old's signature. (Sunday Mail)

Celtic manager Ronny Deila has become the latest high-profile figure to support the introduction of summer football in Scotland, echoing an earlier statement from Scottish Football Association president Campbell Ogilvie that such a change is inevitable. (Sunday Herald)

Scotland striker Chris Martin is poised to sign a new contract with Derby County

Maribor central defender Mako Suler, whose side face Celtic in the second leg of their Champions League play-off, has revealed he was close to signing for the Scottish champions four years ago. (Sun, print edition)

Israel midfielder Beram Kayal, who has entered the last year of his current deal, wants to sign a new contract with Celtic having returned to the first-team picture under new manager Ronny Deila. (Mail on Sunday, print edition)

Scotland striker Chris Martin is poised to sign a new long-term contract with Derby County. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

Blackburn Rovers have rejected a club record bid from Hull City in excess of £10m for Jordan Rhodes, insisting they have no intention of selling the 24-year-old Scotland striker striker. (Lancashire Telegraph)

Scotland will be just one place behind England when the latest Fifa rankings are announced, with Gordon Strachan's side rising one spot to 27th. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

Sheffield United manager Nigel Clough has told Scottish trio Jamie Murphy, Stefan Scougall and Ryan Flynn their form must improve. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

Ally McCoist has brushed aside speculation linking him with the managerial vacancy at Crystal Palace, insisted he remains determined to become a long-term success at Rangers and stressing there has been no contact with the English Premier League club. (Scotland On Sunday)

Belgian forward Thomas Buffel has welcomed the surprise appointment of his former manager at Rangers, Alex McLeish, as his new head coach at Genk. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

Shelley Kerr, the first woman to manage a men's senior team in the UK, ended a run of three straight defeats for Stirling University in her first game in charge when the students drew 1-1 with Dalbeattie Star in the Lowland League. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

OTHER GOSSIP

Andy Murray is close to securing the biggest kit deal in Scottish sports history, with his latest contract expected to dwarf his five-year agreement with Adidas, which runs out in November. Adidas, Nike and several other manufacturers are in negotiations for a deal that could be worth up to £50m to the 27-year-old. (Sunday Mail)

Controversy overshadowed Aberdeenshire's Eastern Premiership title win as they made sure of glory on the final day of the cricket season when their home tussle against Falkland was called off shortly before it had been due to get under way, despite the venue basking in sunshine and blue skies. (Sunday Herald)