Scottish Gossip: Celtic, Rangers, Chelsea, Lille, Giroud, Hearts, Aberdeen, Ntcham, Stoke, Motherwell, Kilmarnock, Livingston, Lindsay

Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has laughed off a report linking the Glasgow club with a January move for Olivier Giroud after French publication L'Equipe claimed the 33-year-old Chelsea striker had been "contacted". (Daily Mail)

Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham is reportedly being lined up as a transfer target by Lille, according to a report in France, with the Ligue 1 club braced for losing Boubakary Soumare, who is being targeted by English Premier League outfits Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspor in the January window. (Daily Record)

Republic of Ireland midfielder Glenn Whelan's Hearts future is in doubt after the 35-year-old was left out of the squad for the Boxing Day Edinburgh derby defeat by Hibernian at Tynecastle Park. (Edinburgh Evening News)

Hearts are looking to sign Liam Lindsay on loan during the January transfer window with Stoke City's £2.5m summer signing from Barnsley out of favour with new manager Michael O'Neill. (Daily Mail via Edinburgh Evening News)

Livingston are keen to hold pre-contract talks with Motherwell's Trevor Carson in January, with the 31-year-old Northern Ireland goalkeeper out of contract in the summer and also attracting interest from Aberdeen, but current Fir Park number one Mark Gillespie is also out of contract and is stalling over a new deal. (Daily Record)

Aberdeen chairman Dave Cormack has revealed that the Pittodrie club were aware of Alfredo Morelos before he joined Rangers but could not afford the Colombian striker's transfer fee. (AJC)

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has called on the Scottish FA to investigate Dave Cormack's criticism of Kristoffer Ajer, describing the Aberdeen chairman's claim that the centre-half feigned injury to get Sam Cosgrove sent off as "lies". (The Scotsman)

Hearts manager Daniel Stendel has refused to explain the specific reasons why he flew home to Germany in the lead-up to Thursday's Edinburgh derby and insisted it was not a factor in the defeat by Hibs. (Daily Record)

Kilmarnock captain Gary Dicker has denied suggestions that player power forced the sacking of manager Angelo Alessio but described the Italian's tenure as "a disaster". (The42)