Scottish Gossip: Celtic, Rangers, Inverness CT, Dundee, Hibernian, Aberdeen, Hearts

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey has refused to rule out Celtic and Rangers being invited to join the English set-up, which is discussing the possibility of increasing the number of divisions from four to five by the 2019-20 season and adding six more clubs. (Daily Record)

Celtic hope to name Brendan Rodgers as their new manager next week and are willing to hand the former Liverpool boss a £15m budget for transfers and wages to rebuild his squad. (Daily Mail)

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez, who worked under Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool, says Celtic would be appointing one of the best managers in Europe should they choose the Northern Irishman. (Daily Record)

Dermot Desmond, the major Celtic shareholder, has warned those vying for the vacant manager's job that they must take the Glasgow club back into the group stage of the Champions League after a three-year absence. (The Herald)

Veteran striker Richie Foran is set to become the new Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager as the Scottish Premiership club negotiate a severance package with John Hughes after the current boss fell out with chairman Kenny Cameron over his playing budget. (Daily Express, print edition)

Richie Foran is reportedly in the running to be Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager

Inverness Caledonian Thistle striker Richie Foran and Aberdeen coach Paul Sheerin, who played for Caley Thistle, are being considered as John Hughes' successor as manager. (The Sun, print edition)

Veteran forward Richie Foran is not ruling out leaving Inverness Caledonian Thistle next season on loan after being sidelined for most of this campaign through injury. (Press and Journal)

Dundee are poised to join Motherwell in offering a contract to Dunfermline Athletic striker Faissal El Bakhtaoui, while Fleetwood Town are also interested in the 23-year-old. (The Sun)

Dundee striker Greg Stewart, who is entering the final year of his contract, has rejected the offer of an extended deal and is attracting the attention of Aberdeen, Rangers and Hearts, as well as clubs in England. (Press and Journal)

Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez is keen to be reunited with Frank McParland, who worked with him at Liverpool but is now Rangers' head of recruitment. (Daily Mail)

Rangers manager Mark Warburton is unfazed by Joey Barton's controversial reputation on and off the park as the Burnley midfielder considers a contract offer from the Scottish Championship winners. (The Scotsman)

Manager Mark Warburton admits he is still waiting for Joey Barton to make up his mind on a move to Rangers, the 33-year-old having been offered a 12-month contract extension by English Championship winners Burnley as well as a longer-term deal at Ibrox. (The National)

Hibernian manager Alan Stubbs insists that photographs of Jason Cummings weekend kickabout in his socks at Saughton Enclosure will not decrease the striker's chances of being chosen to face Rangers in Saturday's Scottish Cup final. (The Scotsman)

Swansea City's Stephen Kingsley (right) is being tipped for a call-up to the Scotland squad

Bookmaker chain Betfred, the new sponsor of the Scottish League Cup, has been forced to apologise after it advertised the Scottish Cup final as a match between Hibernian and "Newco Rangers". (Daily Record)

Swansea City left-back Stephen Kingsley is poised to be called into the Scotland squad for friendlies against France and Italy after Andy Robertson reached the Premier League play-off final with Hull City. (The Sun, print edition)

Scotland midfielder James Morrison is wanted by former club Middlesbrough, but the 30-year-old has been offered a two-year contract to stay at West Bromwich Albion. (Daily Record, print edition)

Dundee United goalkeeper Michal Szromnik, who has been told he can find a new club following relegation from the Scottish Premiership, is a target for Arka Gdynia, who have been promoted to the top flight in his Polish homeland. (The Sun, print edition)

Raith Rovers are poised to name Gary Locke, who was sacked by Kilmarnock earlier this season, as their new manager. (Daily Record, print edition)

Queen of the South striker Derek Lyle has been granted a licence to run his mother's single-cab taxi firm despite objections from Police Scotland. (The Herald)

OTHER GOSSIP

The Scottish economy could lose out on £100m after members at the Muirfield Golf Club voted to reject a rule change allowing women to join, prompting the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews to immediately kick the famed East Lothian course - 16 times an Open venue - off its rota. (The National)

Connacht coach Pat Lam is especially motivated to lead his side to the Pro12 final at Murrayfield by beating Glasgow Warriors as he began his coaching career at the home of Scottish rugby under national boss Ian McGeechan. (The Herald)