Friday's Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Liverpool are set to join Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk during January. (Daily Express)

Celtic will reject any "insulting" offer they may receive from Crystal Palace for Kris Commons in the January transfer window, with reports suggesting that the English club could table a bid as low as £250,000 for the midfielder who is out of contract in the summer. (The Scotsman)

Celtic striker John Guidetti says writing songs with Sweden's most notorious rapper, Ken Ring, helped him overcome a knee injury last year. (Daily Record, print edition)

Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths has been hailed a hero after he offered to buy a five-year-old boy Christmas gifts after the lad's home had been burgled. (The Scotsman)

Derry City midfielder Michael Duffy is hopeful of winning a contract with Celtic as the 20-year-old prepares for a second trial with the Scottish champions. (Daily Record, print edition)

Hibernian head coach Alan Stubbs has confirmed he expects 19-year-old striker Jack McBean, currently training with Charlton Athletic as he attempts to win a move to British football from MLS champions Los Angeles Galaxy, to arrive at Easter Road for a trial next week. (The Herald)

Dundee manager Paul Hartley is looking to extend Greg Stewart's contract, saying the striker has proved his critics wrong since taking the step up from Cowdenbeath. (Daily Record, print edition)

Former Wigan Athletic, Derby County and Sheffield Wednesday winger Gary Teale has been contacting his former clubs in the hope of attracting loan signings even though he does not know how long he will remain interim manager of St Mirren. (Daily Record, print edition)

St Mirren caretaker manager Gary Teale has outlined his vision for the future to the Argentine consortium considering a takeover bid for the Paisley club. (Daily Mail, print edition)

Los Angeles Galaxy striker Jack McBean is expected as Hibs as he eyes a move to British football

Property financier Brian Gilmour has outlined a £45m blueprint to turn League One strugglers Ayr United into a Scottish Premiership force within six years as he discusses a takeover with chairman Lachlan Cameron. (Daily Mail)

New Livingston manager Mark Burchill says he has enlisted the help of former Celtic bosses Martin O'Neill and Kenny Dalglish in his attempt to plot a win over Rangers in the Scottish Championship on Saturday. (The Herald)

The first shots have been fired in what threatens to be a war of words at Rangers' annual meeting on Monday, with the Rangers Supporters Trust making an attempt to ensure directors are forced to answer questions over both the future of the club and how it has descended yet again into financial meltdown. (The Herald)

Former Rangers striker Mark Hateley has denied a report that claimed he undermined manager Ally McCoist through his support for the current board of directors, but the team boss has snubbed his former team-mate's attempt to patch up their relationship. (Daily Record)

Allan Johnston does not fear becoming the next manager to lose his job despite Kilmarnock's indifferent form. (Daily Record)

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes say he wants to "draw a line" under the seven-game ban given to Aleksandar Tonev for racially abusing Dons defender Shay Logan despite the Celtic winger continuing to protest his innocence. (The Herald)

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has praised Shay Logan for the manner in which the defender conducted himself during the case against Celtic winger Aleksandar Tonev, who was accused of racially abusing the Englishman. (The Herald)

Former Scottish FA secretary John McBeth believes Sepp Blatter will either die in his job of Fifa president or end up in jail unless there is a revolt against world football's governing body by its European counterpart, Uefa. (The Herald)

Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson has revealed that Hearts knew about the match-fixing allegations against Miguel Pallardo when they signed the Spanish midfielder earlier this year and is convinced he is innocent of the charges against him while playing with Levante. (The Scotsman)

Scotland midfielder Robert Snodgrass is likely to miss the rest of the season with the knee injury suffered in his Hull City debut in August, manager Steve Bruce has confirmed. (Daily Record, print edition)

OTHER GOSSIP

The wind of change blowing through the corridors of the European Tour's headquarters at Wentworth has led to the appointment of two women as non-executive directors - financial expert Jutta af Rosenborg and sports ­specialist Sophie Goldschmidt. (The Scotsman)

Scotland have three men and four women in Great Britain's Olympic hockey training squads for Rio 2016. (The Herald)