5 hours Ago By Kurtis Leyland
Did you know with an ad-lite subscription to GlasgowWorld, you get 70% fewer ads while viewing the news that matters to you. Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is preparing for a new challenge as he makes his first trip to Tannadice Park to face Dundee United in a huge game at the top of the Premiership table. The Hoops have been the standout team in the division with a near perfect 43 points from a possible 45.
Meanwhile, Dundee United have been one of the surprise packages of the season with 24 points from 16 games, leaving them fifth in the table and in the hunt for European qualification in their first season back in the big time. Advertisement Advertisement A win for Celtic could leave them 12 points of rivals Aberdeen depending on their scoreline against Hibs while third-placed Rangers , who are already 11 behind the league leaders, will look to respond to their Scottish League Cup final defeat with a strong performance at home to Dundee. This Christmas period promises to play a key role in the landscape of the division as both sides look ahead to the January transfer window.
With that in mind, Glasgow World has rounded up the latest transfer stories from Celtic and Rangers. Celtic have been interested in signing rising Danish striker Mathias Kvistgaarden in recent transfer windows. Advertisement Advertisement The Hoops were credited with interest in the Brondby frontman throughout the summer window, and although a move ultimately didn’t take place, the 22-year-old admitted he was flattered to be linked with a club that is the size of Celtic.
Over the summer, Kvistgaarden told reporters: “It is a great and huge honour.” Kvistgaarden fired in eight goals and five assists from 22 matches as his team narrowly missed out on the title last term. However, this year he has taken his game to new heights with an impressive 10 goals and four assists from 15 league matches along with a further four goals in cup competitions.
Danish outlet Tipsbladet claims Celtic’s interest in the young forward has ‘hardly cooled’ but adds that now would be the perfect time to strike a deal before he grows into a striker that is out of their price range. Advertisement Advertisement Sports reporter Farzam Abolhosseini explained: “ If he continues like this, with these stats, Celtic can’t keep up anymore. Now is the time for them to strike, and I could well imagine them coming back, just like those medium-sized Bundesliga clubs that were in play a few months ago are also coming back.
” Rangers are believed to be plotting a move for highly-rated South African forward Iqraam Rayners in the January transfer window. The Scottish Sun report that Philippe Clement is still reeling from last weekend’s League Cup final defeat to Celtic and most significantly striker Cyriel Dessers’ refusal to take a penalty in the shoot-out at Hampden. The outlet understands that Clement could look to replace Dessers next month, with Saint Etienne reportedly interested in the Nigerian international.
Advertisement Advertisement The report goes on to say that Mamelodi Sundowns’ striker Rayners is the team’s number one target in January after his excellent start to the season which has seen him score seven times in eight games for the South African champions. The 29-year-old forward, who has scored five times in 15 appearances for South Africa, has been the subject of numerous scouting missions for Rangers throughout the season, according to SNL24..
