Rangers reignite interest, Celtic eye flair player, fee wrangle, Hearts exit - Scottish transfer news

Livingston have landed two new players, while Hearts have freshened up their right-back options. And that’s just the start of it ...

We take a look at some of the main stories on the first day of the transfer window in Scotland:

Penrice linked with Rangers

James Penrice has re-emerged as a transfer target for Rangers. The AEK Athens left-back has not managed to secure regular first-team football since moving to Greece from Hearts last summer and could be available for a January transfer.

Rangers head coach Danny Rohl is keen to strengthen his options at left-back for the second half of the season. His only natural option in that department is Brentford loanee Jayden Meghoma.

The Ibrox side have also been linked with Belgian left-back Tuur Rommens, a 22-year-old who currently plays for Westerlo in his homeland.

Penrice, 27, moved from Hearts to AEK in July and has featured 24 times across all competitions in Athens - predominantly as a substitute. Rangers were interested in signing him when Barry Ferguson was in caretaker charge of the club.

Cameron fee in hands of tribunal

A Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) tribunal is likely to intervene to set a fee for Lyall Cameron’s transfer from Dundee to Rangers after the two clubs could not reach an agreement themselves.

Cameron, 23, made the move to Ibrox from Dens Park last summer but has struggled to nail down a first-team place under current Rangers head coach Danny Rohl.

Dundee and Rangers had hoped to thrash out a deal themselves, but they remain apart on valuation and the SPFL will now have to cast a verdict themselves.

A similar situation arose 12 months ago when Connor Barron moved from Aberdeen to Rangers. The SPFL eventually set a fee of just over £600,000.

Celtic linked with another player

Celtic are expected to be very active in the transfer window after the arrival of new manager Wilfried Nancy.

The defending Premiership champions are understood to be closing in on a loan move for Bournemouth defender Julian Araujo and have also been linked with moves for two of Nancy’s former players at Columbus Crew - Wessam Abou Ali and Diego Rossi.

Now reports emanating from South America claim that Celtic are on the trail of Uruguayan wide man Ignacio Laquintana, who currently plays for Red Bull Bragantino in Brazil. The 26-year-old has been capped twice by his country.

Journalist Martin Chaqueiro wrote on X: “Nacho Laquintana could move to Celtic Glasgow. The Scottish team is interested in acquiring the winger’s registration from Red Bull Bragantino. The transfer could take place in this European transfer window.”

Hearts let Vargas go out on loan

Out-of-favour Hearts forward Kenneth Vargas has been allowed to join another club on loan for the rest of the season.

Vargas, 23, spent the first half of the season at CS Herediano and will now spend the remainder of the campaign at Deportiva Alajuelense, who also play in his homeland of Costa Rica.

Hearts already have strong forward options in Lawrence Shankland, Claudio Braga, Landry Kabore, Elton Kabangu and James Wilson at their disposal.

They have also been linked with FC Riga striker Reginaldo Ramires, who has scored 22 goals in 40 games for the Latvian side this season. The 24-year-old could follow Dutch defender Jordi Altena and Kazakh winger Islam Chesnokov through the Tynecastle door.