Rangers eye double deal, Celtic star wants stay, Hearts reunion on cards - Scottish transfer news

Here are the top stories from around the Scottish Premiership and beyond, with reports from Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, and Dundee United.

Dundee United join winger chase

Dundee United head coach Jim Goodwin is reportedly set to compete with Gillingham and Oldham Athletic for Forest Green winger Kyle McAllister. The 27-year-old former St Mirren player has registered 11 goals and five assists in the National League this season, attracting significant January transfer interest.

The Tannadice outfit added Barnsley’s Neil Farrugia to their squad last week, but would like to bring Paisley-born McAllister back across the border to strengthen their attacking options and address inconsistent results during the opening half of the Scottish Premiership campaign.

Tynecastle return on cards

Hearts are set to sign Birmingham City midfielder Marc Leonard as they look to plug the gap filled by Cammy Devlin’s injury. A former Tynecastle academy player, the 24-year-old spent four years with the club during his teenage years.

The Glasgow-born midfielder joined the Blues from Brighton in the summer of 2024 and played a key role at St Andrews as they won EFL League One in record-breaking fashion last season, but has struggled for regular game time following their promotion. After starting just five of the club's 28 games in the second tier this season, Leonard is prepared to leave this month in order to get more minutes, and Hearts are reported to be close to sealing a loan deal until the end of the campaign.

With the move said to have been verbally agreed between the two clubs, Leonard could be in line to make his Hearts debut against Celtic in Gorgie on Sunday, due to Jambos boss Derek McInnes facing an injury crisis in midfield, with Devlin nd Calem Nieuwenhof all out injured, Beni Baningime suspended, and Oisin McEntee and Ageu not ready to be thrown straight back in after returning to training.

Manager speaks on Hearts interest

Staying with Hearts, the club saw a bid for Forest Green Rovers midfielder Laurent Mendy rejected earlier in the week. The 28-year-old Frenchman has been a key player at the Eco Stadium, and manager Robbie Savage says the club are under no pressure to sell if the Scottish Premiership outfit returns with a second offer.

“He's a Forest Green player as it stands,” said Savage. “He's under contract for the next two-and-a-half years, so that's what it is. There's interest because he's an unbelievable player, a great talent. He's been with me for four-and-a-half years now. There's interest in him because of how well he's done. He's stepped up two levels and he's a brilliant individual. Of course, we knew there would be interest in all of our players. That's what we want at our football club, we want to improve and develop.

“There's no buyout clause and it's with my sporting director and my owner but, right now, Mendy is a Forest Green player. I thought his performance in the second half was brilliant, didn't faze him and that's what I expect from my captain. Credit him for he way he performed. What would you do, if your best player wanted a move? So, again, Forest Green is a football club who has given me a chance, given players a chance.

“I understand it, I've been in that situation as a player many times. When there were offers for me and they were turned down, I had to get on with it. For a couple of weeks, of course, you're feeling you want to go. There have been times where I got sold and got my move. So I expect all my players, regardless of their situation, to give me and the team everything.”

Rangers eye double deal

Rangers are mulling over making offers for Yan Valery and long-term target Jens Hjerto-Dahl this month as head coach Danny Rohl continues his January spending spree. The 36-year-old boss has already added Tochi Chukwuani, Tuur Rommens, and Andreas Skov Olsen to his squad this month, but is keen to bolster his squad further in order to close the gap to league leaders Hearts at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

According to the Sheffield Star, Rangers are set to rival EFL Championship promotion chasers Millwall and Wrexham for Tunisian right-back Valery from Sheffield Wednesday, who is believed to be available this month following the Hillsborough club’s financial struggles. Currently at the bottom of the EFL Championship following a 12-point deduction, the Owls are in administration and seeking to raise funds from player sales this month, with the 26-year-old viewed as a potential departure.

Meanwhile, reports also claim that Rangers are ready to reignite their interest in Tromso youngster Hjerto-Dahl this month. The 20-year-old midfielder was linked with a move to Ibrox last month, with the Norwegian outfit set to be holding out for a fee of around £3.5million, though the interest appeared to cool as the Gers pushed on with other targets.

However, with midfielders Kieran Dowell and Joe Rothwell set to join Lyall Cameron in leaving Rangers this month, reports claim Rohl is ready to step up his interest in Hjerto-Dahl as he looks to add further physicality to his central midfield options.

Celtic ace wants Parkhead stay

Celtic midfielder Arne Engels is set to reject the chance to return to the Bundesliga, with a report from Sky Sports saying that the Belgian international wants to stay and play as they look to retain their Scottish Premiership crown this season. The 22-year-old is the club’s record signing, having moved from Augsburg for £11million in the summer of 2024, but has found himself in and out of the starting XI following his arrival, leading to rumoured interest from RB Leipzig.

However, a return to Germany appears to be unlikely, with Engels said to be happy at Celtic Park and focused on adding further silverware to the club’s trophy cabinet. The Dendermonde-born player is understood to be “really enjoying” working with manager Martin O’Neill and his staff, and is ready to resist any offers to prize him away from the east end of Glasgow in January.

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