Scottish Gossip: Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, West Brom, Motherwell, Brechin, Fraserburgh

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

West Bromwich Albion, who sacked Tony Pulis on Monday, are expected to ask Aberdeen for permission to speak to manager Derek McInnes this week.(Scottish Sun)

West Bromwich Albion fans are backing former club captain Derek McInnes to become their next manager, with the Aberdeen boss receiving 15% of more than 5000 votes in Midlands media outlet Express and Star's poll after Tony Pulis was axed on Monday. (Daily Record)

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill, who is the Scottish FA's target to be national head coach, has emerged as the bookmakers' favourite to succeed the sacked Tony Pulis at West Bromwich Albion. (The Sun)

Aberdeen chairman Stewart Milne says they will work "as hard as we can" to convince Derek McInnes to stay at Pittodrie should Rangers or West Bromwich Albion make a move for the manager this month. (The Herald)

Portugal centre-half Bruno Alves refused selection as a Rangers substitute for Saturday's defeat at home to Hamilton Academical and is unhappy at being dropped by caretaker manager Graeme Murty. (The Times)

Rangers might not be able to afford the compensation it would require to bring Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes to Ibrox, according to the Glasgow club's former captain, Barry Ferguson. (Evening Times)

Former Rangers winger Andrei Kanchelsksis has endorsed the credentials of his former Ibrox team-mate, Aberdeen's Derek McInnes, to be their next permanent manager. (The Herald)

Bruno Alves is reportedly unhappy at being dropped by Rangers caretaker Graeme Murty

With Alex McLeish emerging as the bookmakers' favourite to return as Rangers manager, Andrei Kanchelskis says he preferred Sir Alex Ferguson's hairdryer fury at Manchester United to "double faced" McLeish at Ibrox. (Daily Record)

Former Celtic full-back Tom Boyd reckons former Scotland team-mate Paul Lambert and Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill fit the bill to be the new national head coach - because both would command instant respect from the dressing room. (Daily Record)

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson says he and Celtic counterpart Brendan Rodgers, who had criticised Well's tough style of play, have cleared the air following a "private conversation" ahead of the Scottish League Cup final. (Scottish Sun)

Celtic could make a move to sign Reading's 24-year-old defender, Liam Moore, in January. (Reading Chronicle)

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has insisted there will always be a role at the club for Scott Brown when his playing career is over and believes the midfielder could even follow Neil Lennon's path to becoming manager of the Scottish champions. (The Scotsman)

Brechin City striker Isaac Layne responded to the news that the Championship side have been drawn against Celtic in the Scottish Cup fourth round with Twitter messages saying: "Bring on the Tims" and "WATP". (Scottish Sun)

Fraserburgh manager Mark Cowie will plead with his board to resist the urge to shift their Scottish Cup fourth-round tie with Rangers away from Bellslea Park, the Highland League side's 3,000-capacity stadium. (The Scotsman)

Being drawn in the Scottish Cup against Rangers will keep Fraserburgh free of financial problems for many years, according to club chairman Finlay Noble (Daily Record)

Reading's Liam Moore (right) is being linked with interest from Celtic

Queen's Park have accused Stewart Regan of getting his facts wrong about the costs of Scotland using Hampden Park as their base and challenged the Scottish FA chief executive to reveal evidence to substantiate his claim it would cost the governing body "many millions of pounds" to remain there. (Scottish Sun, print edition)

Paris St-Germain defender Dani Alves has warned Celtic that the pumped-up French side will not be taking it easy in Wednesday's Champions League group game despite having already qualified for the last 16. (Daily Record)

Celtic defender Mikael Lustig says Rangers' return to Scotland's top flight helped his side to complete an unbeaten domestic treble last season because the club responded by spending more on players. (Daily Record)

Aberdeen will face competition from Premiership rivals Hearts in the race to bring former Dons winger Niall McGinn back to Scotland after he terminated his contact with South Korean club Gwangju. (Evening Express)

Falkirk have decided not to appeal against the eight-game suspension handed to Kevin O'Hara after the 19-year-old striker verbally abused Dunfermline Athletic's Dean Shields over his missing eye. (Daily Express, print edition)

OTHER GOSSIP

Scotland assistant Dan McFarland has warned that Finn Russell, the fly-half poised to leave Glasgow Warriors for Racing 92 this summer, is unlikely to be the last member of the current national team to be tempted by the cash-rich French Top 14.(Daily Mail)