Wednesday's Scottish Gossip: Celtic, Aberdeen, Scotland v England, Hearts, Inverness, Cardiff, West Ham, Derby, Southampton

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Aberdeen have told Celtic they will have to improve their offer if they want to sign winger Jonny Hayes after Cardiff City's £1.2m offer topped the Scottish champions' bid, which included Ryan Christie returning to Pittodrie on another season-long loan. (Press and Journal)

Celtic midfielder Ryan Christie has agreed to rejoin Aberdeen on loan to facilitate Republic of Ireland winger Jonny Hayes' transfer to Celtic, but Cardiff City have made the move less certain with a fresh £1.2m offer. (Daily Express, print edition)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle have held preliminary talks with Paul Sheerin about taking over as first-team manager, with the club relegated from the Scottish Premiership club having received permission from Aberdeen to talk to their under-20s coach. (Inverness Courier)

Aberdeen Under-20s coach Paul Sheerin, the favourite to be appointed Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager, will be interviewed on Thursday, but his chances of taking the job could rest on the Dons' compensation demands. (Scottish Sun, print edition)

A police request to postpone Saturday's World Cup qualifier between Scotland and England at Hampden was rejected last month by European governing body Uefa and the Scottish FA, with Police Scotland being unhappy with the 17:00 BST kick-off time. (Daily Mail, print edition)

The security operation for Saturday's World Cup qualifying clash between Scotland and England at Hampden will be the biggest ever for a football match in this country, with Scottish FA chief executive Stewart Regan admitting that police had asked "three or four weeks ago" to postpone the game. (The Scotsman)

Ryan Christie and Jonny Hayes could be involved in a swap deal between Aberdeen and Celtic

England fans' behaviour has been criticised by the FA following March's friendly with Germany, with the governing body handing out banning orders following Nazi salutes. (Scottish Sun, print edition)

West Ham United midfielder Robert Snodgrass thinks Scotland can still secure automatic qualification for the World Cup finals in Russia next year if his side defeat group leaders England at Hampden on Saturday. (The National)

England manager Gareth Southgate has enlisted the help of Scottish attacking coach Allan Russell, the 36-year-old former Hamilton Accies, St Mirren, Airdrie United and Kilmarnock striker, to help his side prepare for Saturday's World Cup qualifier at Hampden. (Daily Mail)

Former Scotland full-back Danny McGrain has warned Celtic's Kieran Tierney, who is expected to start at right-back against England, that switching flanks is not easy. (The Herald)

Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster, who hopes to start for England at Hampden, says former Celtic team-mate Leigh Griffiths is Scotland's main danger man in Saturday's World Cup qualifier. (The Herald)

Derby County striker Chris Martin says a win over England on Saturday would be the perfect 60th birthday present for his father, Gerry. (The Scotsman)

Paul Sheerin is being touted as the favourite to be Inverness Caledonian Thistle manager

Scottish FA chief executive Stewart Regan says the governing body is in the clear over handing Rangers a European licence in 2011 - despite the evidence that came from the court case against former Ibrox owner Craig Whyte. (Daily Record)

Hearts owner Ann Budge has revealed that work on the new main stand at Tynecastle has run over its £12m budget, but she is confident the project remains on course to be completed by September. (The Scotsman)

Hearts fans have been urged to plug the funding gap for their new stand at Tynecastle through a fund-raising campaign after owner Ann Budge revealed that the costs of the project had rocketed. (Scottish Sun)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle have joined clubs interested in signing Blair Yule, the 25-year-old midfielder who is out of contract with Cove Rangers, following interest from Dundee United, Arbroath and Peterhead. (Press and Journal)

OTHER GOSSIP

Andy Murray says he "went back to basics" to recover his top form after being reunited with coach Ivan Lendl ahead of the French Open. (The Scotsman)

Andy Murray has insisted he will not follow in the footsteps of a number of the United Kingdom's leading sports stars by becoming a tax exile. (The Scotsman)