Wednesday's Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Celtic have been told they will have to pay £1.5m for NEC Nijmagen winger Alirerza Jahanbakhsh, the 21-year-old Iranian whose 12 goals have helped his club win promotion back to the Dutch top flight and attracted interest from Anderlecht. (Daily Express, print edition)

Celtic target Jonathas has revealed he is leaving Italian club Pescara following his loan spell with Elche, but the Scottish champions face competition from Sevilla for the 26-year-old Brazilian forward's signature. (HITC)

Celtic have moved closer to securing the signature of defender Dedryck Boyata, but Manchester City are set to insert a sell-on clause for the 24-year-old Belgian who has agreed a pay-off with the English club for the final year of his contract. (The Sun, print edition)

Sweden full-back Mikael Lustig, who has been sidelined for more than three months with an ankle injury, says he will be fit in time for Celtic's Champions League qualifiers. (Daily Record)

Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon has expressed his pride at being named player of the year by the Scottish Football Writers' Association for the second time in his career after making a return to top-flight club football and the Scotland squad following a serious knee injury. (The Herald)

Former Brazil Under-19 international Jonathas has been on loan with La Liga outfit Elche

Scottish Football Writers' Association Player of the Year Craig Gordon has revealed he gave up a significant insurance pay-out, due if he announced his retirement, in order to rescue his football career. (The Scotsman)

Dundee goalkeeper Scott Bain has revealed he has had to ditch his summer holiday to Australia to meet his girlfriend in order to accept his first Scotland call-up for next month's double-header with Qatar and the Republic of Ireland. (The Scotsman)

Scott Bain fears he may have lost his girlfriend as a result of accepting a call-up to the Scotland squad because the Dundee goalkeeper has had to cancel his reunion in Australia with Erin, who is working Down Under. (Daily Record)

Aberdeen are working on a season-long loan for goalkeeper Angus Gunn, the 19-year-old son of former Dons number one Bryan and an England youth international, from Manchester City. (The Sun, print edition)

Richard Foster, the right-back who has just returned to action following a hernia problem, is the latest Rangers player to be targeted by Philadelphia Union, the Major League Soccer club also being linked with striker Jon Daly. (Daily Express, print edition)

Dave King arrived in Glasgow on Tuesday night - just one hour after the Scottish FA rubber-stamped him as fit and proper to take over as Rangers chairman - and promised to make an immediate investment while also insisting the club had the cash to pay back a £5m loan to shareholder Mike Ashley. (Daily Record)

The protest group, Ashley Out, is encouraging Newcastle United fans to remain in the club's stadium for a sit-in protest after Sunday's final league game of the season as part of its campaign against owner Mike Ashley. (Evening Chronicle)

Kilmarnock manager Gary Locke, who has 11 players out of contract this summer, has been forced to reduce the size of his squad in order to pay for the recruitment of fitness coach David Sykes. (The Times, print edition)

The Scottish Professional Football League will commence talks with BBC Scotland over a new broadcasting deal early next month. (Daily Mail, print edition)

Angus Gunn, who has been capped for England at youth level, is being linked with Aberdeen

St Johnstone chairman Steve Brown says Scottish clubs only have themselves to blame for agreeing to their current BBC broadcasting deal but expects the Scottish Professional Football League to "play hard-ball" when the next contract is negotiated. (Daily Express, print edition)

St Mirren will interview candidates on Thursday for their managerial vacancy, with present boss Gary Teale and former Ross County manager Derek Adams meeting the board for talks and Dumbarton's Ian Murray and former Buddies midfielders Billy Stark and Jamie Fullerton also being linked with the job. (Daily Mail, print edition)

Kenny Shiels has quit as senior coach at Forth Academy to become manager of Tero Sasana in Thailand's Premier League. (The Sun, print edition)

Falkirk warmed up for their Scottish Cup final appearance with a 9-1 demolition of Burnley's under-21 side. (The Herald, print edition)

Dundee have told left-back Willie Dyer he will not be offered a new contract, the decision coming 24 hours after the Dens Park club secured the signature of Kevin Holt from Queen of the South. (The Courier)

OTHER GOSSIP

Jason O'Halloran, one of New Zealand's most promising coaches, could be about to replace Duncan Hodge, who is switching to Edinburgh, as Scotland backs coach after the New Zealand Herald reported the 43-year-old saying he would be joining compatriot Vern Cotter's back-room team. (The Scotsman, print edition)

Scotland's Pamela Pretswell reduced the lead held by England's Melissa Reid at the Turkish Airlines Ladies Open to one shot going into the final round. (The Herald)

James Thomson, the undefeated welterweight from Bannockburn, will be motivated by tragedy when he steps into the ring at the Bellahouston Leisure Centre on Saturday evening for his fourth professional bout having seriously considered pulling out of his contest against Englishman Mick Mills following the sudden death of his close friend, Bobby Stewart. (The Herald)