Scottish Gossip: McAlister v Ciftci, Rangers secure Wigan pair

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Having parted company with Dundee, Jim McAlister will take on Celtic's legal team by himself at a Hampden Park hearing on Monday as striker Nadir Ciftci, who has joined the Glasgow club from Dundee United, challenges the accusation that he bit the winger. (Sunday Mail)

Nadir Ciftci has offered to take Celtic's penalties in their Champions League qualifier against Stjarnan in Iceland on Wednesday after Leigh Griffiths failed to score with a spot-kick in the first leg. (Scotland On Sunday)

Leigh Griffiths staked a claim for a starting place against Stjarnan in Iceland after the striker, who was on the bench for the first leg, scored a hat-trick as Celtic defeated La Liga side Eibar 4-1 in a pre-season friendly played in Spain. (Sunday Mail)

Leigh Griffiths scored a hat-trick for Celtic against Eibar in Spain

Stjarnan's stuttering start to the defence of their Pepsideild title continued when the Icelandic champions were held to a 1-1 draw at home by 10-man Akranes ahead of their second leg against Celtic. (Sunday Herald)

Rangers have struck a deal to sign Wigan Athletic pair James Tavernier and Martyn Waghorn, while the Scottish Championship club could also tie up the signing of out-of-contract former Hearts midfielder Jason Holt in the next 48 hours. (Sunday Mail)

Rangers manager Mark Warburton has described his side's Petrofac Training Cup match against Hibernian as a "perfect pre-season game". (Scotland On Sunday)

Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald was able to assess former Cheltenham Town full-back Durrell Berry after the 23-year-old played as a trialist in their 0-0 draw with Falkirk. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

St Mirren handed trials to former Burnley pair Luke Conlan and Cameron Howieson as well as former Queen's Park full-back Shaun Rooney and former Macclesfield striker Malachi Lavelle Moore in their 1-0 defeat by Bradford City. (Sun On Sunday, print edition)

Derby County want £2.5m from Cardiff City for Scotland forward Johnny Russell after rejecting a £1m offer from their English Championship rivals for the 25-year-old. (Sunday People, print edition)

Malachi Lavelle-Moore played for St Mirren as a trialist against Bradford City

Joe Jordan, who quit Queens Park Rangers as assistant after Harry Redknapp stood down as manager, is determined to return to football despite expecting a foreigner to be appointed whenever a top managerial job becomes available in England. (Sunday Post)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle defender Gary Warren says the potential of a Europa League meeting with West Ham United has added to the Highland side's determination to overcome a 1-0 first leg deficit against Astra Guirgiu. (Sunday Express, print edition)

Liam Craig says he was two weeks away from looking for a job outside football before re-signing for St Johnstone after the 28-year-old midfielder's release by Hibernian. (Sunday Mail, print edition)

OTHER GOSSIP

Double major champions Jordan Spieth led the criticism of the decision to begin the delayed second round of the Open at 7am on Saturday despite the fact winds were gusting at more than 40mph. (Sunday Telegraph)

Open Championship organisers are facing a £5m bill in refunds after its suspension for bad weather and because it will now finish on Monday. (Sun On Sunday, print edition)

Furious golf fans demanded full refunds after play at the Open was disrupted for almost the entire day on Sunday, with the final round of the sport's most prestigious tournament will now finish on a Monday - for only the second time in its history. (Sunday Post)

Scotland defence coach Matt Taylor says they will have to get out of the group stage at least for their Rugby World Cup campaign to be deemed a success. (Scotland On Sunday)