Scottish Gossip: Celtic, Rangers, Man Utd, Valencia, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen, Heckingbottom, Appleton, Motherwell, St Mirren

Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Hibernian have not ruled out making a bid for another candidate for their new head coach, with former Portsmouth and Blackburn Rovers manager Michael Appleton having stalled on contract talks while issues need resolved in negotiations with former Barnsley and Leeds United boss Paul Heckingbottom. (Daily Record)

Former Barnsley and Leeds United manager Paul Heckingbottom is in pole ­position to become Hibernian's new head coach after talks with former Portsmouth and Blackburn Rovers boss Michael Appleton broke down. (The Herald)

Former Portsmouth and Blackburn Rovers boss Michael Appleton walked away from talks with Hibernian, leaving Paul Heckingbottom as front-runner, because the Scottish Premiership club were only willing to offer him four months instead of 12-months of severance pay should he be sacked and would not give him an accommodation allowance to move to Edinburgh. (Scottish Sun)

Armenia international Henri Avagyan has been offered to Scottish clubs as a prospective summer transfer target, with Motherwell and St Mirren having had "positive" discussions about bringing the 23-year-old to the Premiership, but Hibernian have played down the possibility of signing the goalkeeper who is out of contract this summer with Alashkert Yerevan. (The Scotsman)

Valencia, who are already without former Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista and forwards Santi Mina and Rodrigo Moreno through injury, have had to withdraw new signing Facundo Roncaglia from their squad for Thursday's Europa League last-32 game against Celtic after forgetting that the on-loan Celta Vigo defender has a suspension from two years ago. (Daily Record)

Valencia are unlikely to start record signing Goncalo Guedes against Celtic in Thursday's Europa League tie because the Portuguese winger has only just returned from injury. (The Herald, print edition)

A potential Saturday evening Scottish Cup meeting between Aberdeen and Rangers at Pittodrie on 2 March should the Glasgow side win their replay against Kilmarnock will be ruled out as Police Scotland has safety concerns over the proposed Premier Sports broadcast. (Daily Record)

Defender Efe Ambrose, who has been looking for a new club since deciding to leave Hibernian in January, has told Nigerian media he has signed a short-term deal with Derby County. (Daily Record)

Scottish Professional Football League chief executive Neil Doncaster has agreed to meet representatives from the Scottish Football Supporters Association to discuss compensation for the East Fife fans who travelled to Dublin for the Challenge Cup quarter-final against Bohemians that was postponed less than 10 minutes before kick-off. (Daily Mail, print edition)

St Mirren defender Adam Eckersley, who has been on loan to Forfar Athletic, has agreed to join the League One club in a permanent deal this summer. (The Herald, print edition)

OTHER GOSSIP

Glasgow Warriors full-back Stuart Hogg is poised to miss the rest of Scotland's Six Nations campaign - and may not play again this season - after picking up an injury in Saturday's defeat at home to Ireland. (Daily Mail)