Scottish Gossip: Celtic striker search, 'winter break not long enough'

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Dundee United boss Mixu Paatelainen thinks the two-week winter shutdown planned for next season is too short, saying it should be four weeks. (Various)

Celtic are tracking St Pauli striker Lennart Thy, with the 23-year-old out of contract with the Bundesliga II in the summer. Daily Record

Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths is being monitored by Swansea and Crystal Palace but is not interested in leaving the Scottish champions. Sun

Aston Villa will next month decide whether to let towering Czech striker Libor Kozak move to Celtic. Sun

Kris Commons has recovered from the hamstring problem that has sidelined him for five weeks and will travel today for Celtic's Europa League tie with Fenerbahce. (Various)

Belgian referee Serge Gumienny, lambasted by then-Celtic manager Neil Lennon after a 2010 Champions League qualifier against Braga, will be in charge of the match in Turkey. (Various)

Dundee, Dundee United and Inverness Caley Thistle will share the same shirt sponsor next season, with McEwan Fraser Legal securing two-year deals with the Premiership trio. (Daily Express)

Former SPL chief executive Roger Mitchell writes on Twitter that Rangers will "come to regret" the return of chairman Dave King. Daily Record

Ross County manager Jim McIntyre backs the newly-revealed Scottish football revamp but is unsure how a regionalised League Cup would impact his team, with so few teams in the Highland area. The National

Falkirk chairman Doug Henderson hopes a 16-team top flight is next on the agenda for Scottish football chiefs. (The National)

David Clarkson, frustrated at his lack of game time this season, says he is fed up hearing how good the Motherwell squad is and insists the players have to prove it by moving away from the relegation zone. (Herald)

Hibs boss Alan Stubbs reasserts his belief that his former midfielder Scott Allan is good enough to play in the English Premiership and is confident the 24-year-old can flourish at Celtic. (Various)

Alex McLeish, who managed Rangers and Hibernian, is enjoying the "mind games" going on between current bosses Mark Warburton and Alan Stubbs. Herald

Alan Stubbs (left) and Mark Warburton are vying for the Championship title

Hamilton have released Andy Ryan, Darren Hill and Chris Turner from their contracts. (Daily Record)

Aberdeen have taken Finland youth international defender Sebastian Dolvio on trial. (Daily Express)

Former Scotland goalkeeping coach Alan Hodgkinson has died at the age of 79. (Herald)

OTHER GOSSIP

Scotland's cricketers face a dearth of big games now that Associate rivals Ireland and Afghanistan are on the ICC's official One Day International table. The National

Former Glasgow stars John Barclay and DTH van der Merwe are likely to miss Scarlets' European Cup weekend visit to Scotstoun through injury. (The Times)