Celtic defender seals transfer exit to Ligue 1 side as Rangers urged to sell striker

Celtic are already two points ahead of Glasgow rivals Rangers at the top of the Scottish Premiership after four games.

The Hoops defeated nine-man Hearts 2-0 at Parkhead on Sunday to maintain their 100% record, while Rangers slipped to a 2-2 draw with Hibernian at Easter Road after seeing two men sent off.

With the transfer deadline in sight, both sides will be keeping an eye on the market to see if they can complete some late business.

We have rounded up all the latest transfer news and rumours surrounding Ibrox and Parkhead.

Jullien seals Celtic transfer exit

Christopher Jullien is on the verge of finalising his Parkhead exit after the Celtic defender signed a three-year deal with Montpellier.

According to L’Equipe, the French centre-back completed a rigorous medical earlier today and has now agreed to move to the Ligue 1 side.

The 29-year-old, who joined Celtic in a £7million switch from Toulouse in the summer of 2016, was told he is not part of Ange Postecoglou’s long-term plans after returning to fitness following a horrendous injury.

Jullien was on the verge of joining Bundesliga outfit Schalke earlier this summer but after failing a medical, he returned to Lennoxtown for pre-season training.

He has now found himself a new club with a return to France, with Montpellier understood to have paid £850,000 as part of the player’s buyout clause in the final year of his Celtic contract.

Ajeti wanted by Spanish club

Albian Ajeti is the subject of interest from newly-promoted Spanish second division side Racing Santander.

The Swiss striker, who cost Celtic £5million after signing from West Ham in 2020, is another fringe player who has been informed he has no future at the club.

The Basque side have made initial contact with the Scottish champions over Ajeti with Spanish outlet Primicias claiming the frontman would be open to a move to Spain.

Hagi injury boost

Ianis Hagi has given Rangers a significant injury boost as he continues his recovery from a serious knee injury.

The Romanian international has been ruled out of action for seven months after undergoing an operation, with manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst fearing he will be sidelined for the rest of the year.

Hagi’s dad and former Barcelona and Real Madrid great, Gheorge, confirmed his son is progressing well in his rehabilitation but remains uncertain on a potential timescale for his return.

He said: “It’s a very complicated injury, he won’t be able to return before the break for the World Cup.

“All of the media in Romania were in a hurry and said that he will return in August or September and that he will play for the national team in September, no problem.

“The truth is he will return when he is 100% ready. It was not easy at all for him. He had a pretty serious injury.

“But things are going very well at the moment and when there is an opportunity for him to get back playing he will do. We will just have to see when it will be. I can’t put a date on his return.”

Gers urged to sell Morelos

Charlie Nicholas reckons Rangers should sell Alfredo Morelos before the end of the transfer window.

The striker has failed to make an impact since returning from a thigh injury this summer and is now struggling to regain his place in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s starting line-up.

Nicholas believes the Ibrox club should try to cash in on Morelos sooner rather than later.

Writing in his Scottish Daily Express column, Nicholas said: “Morelos is always capable of doing something really good, but he is a risk and Rangers need to get ride of the Coombian striker while he remains a sellable asset.

“People have talked about Morelos being a £20million player. Maybe that was the case a couple of seasons ago but if Rangers could get £10m with add-ons they should take it.

“Somebody will sign him - perhaps a club in Spain like Real Betis or another team at a similar level from a decent Europea league.

“He got himself sent off at Easter Road last weekend after catching Hibs defender Marijan Cabraja with a flailing arm. It was a soft ordering-off but by the letter of the law it was a red-card offence.

“His behaviour concerns me because that impetuousness is still in his DNA. When he came on last Saturday, it looked like Morelos was in a huff from being an unused sub in last week’s first-leg against PSV.

“He had Steven Gerrard on the verge of potentially losing his job before they won the title in 2021. Gerrard had to put his neck on the line and swallow a lot of pain because of the South American’s indiscipline.

“Van Bronckhorst doesn’t need to do that now.”