Scottish Gossip: Celtic, Rangers, Bournemouth, Defoe, St Mirren, Bristol City, Eliasson, Dundee, QoS, Lazio, Villarreal

Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Celtic are considering a move for Bristol City winger Niclas Eliasson but face competition from Italians club Lazio for the 24-year-old Swede who is out of contact this summer, although the English Championship club have a further year's option on him. (Sunday Post)

Spaniards Villarreal are interested in Bristol City winger Niclas Eliasson along with Celtic and Serie A title chasers Lazio. (Sunday Mail)

Croat centre-half Jozo Simunovic, who has just returned to the Celtic team following injury, is poised to hold talks about his future, with his contract due to end this summer, although the Scottish Premiership leaders have the option of a 12-month extension. (Scottish Sun On Sunday)

Former England striker Jermain Defoe, who has agreed a one-year contract with Rangers once his deal with Bournemouth ends this summer, has taken a 65% pay cut to stay with the Scottish Premiership club beyond the end of his current loan spell. (Sunday Mail)

Scottish Championship clubs Dundee and Queen of the South are both trying to sign frozen-out Hearts centre-half Christophe Berra. (Sunday Mail)

Israel have suffered a blow ahead of their March play-off with Scotland after Shakhtar Donetsk's £6m-rated 20-year-old striker Manor Solomon was ruled out of the game at Hampden with an ankle injury. (Sunday Mail)

Hamilton Academical head coach Brian Rice staked money on a women's under-19 match between Iran and Slovenia as his gambling spiralled out of control. (Sunday Mail)

St Mirren midfielder Tony Andreu says the first thing he noticed about Scottish football when he joined Livingston in 2012 was "the gambling surrounding it". (Scotland On Sunday)

Rangers could be dealt an injury blow after goalkeeper Allan McGregor was pictured clutching his ankle in training. (Sunday Mail)

RUGBY UNION GOSSIP

Finn Russell insists he is "just a phone call away" for any international team-mates looking for advice in the run-up to the Six Nations opener against Ireland in Dublin despite the fly-half being banished from the Scotland squad for what team officials described as a "breach of protocol". (Mail On Sunday)