Celtic forward ‘really close’ to leaving before January deadline while Rangers could miss out on defender

The Scottish Premiership is back this weekend and Celtic will look to keep their impressive lead at the top of the table ticking with another win. Brendan Rodgers’ side will travel to Motherwell for their Sunday clash, while Rangers are up against Ross County following their latest 3-1 win over Dundee United.

There’s still time left for the two sides to finalise last-minute January transfer deals as well. However, with Deadline Day approaching, the Glasgow sides will need to pick up the pace if they want to sign things off before the window slams shut until the summer.

We’ve taken a look at the latest Celtic and Rangers transfer rumours as we head into the weekend and the final days of the winter window.

Celtic forward ‘really close’ to January exit

Celtic could be nearing another winter deal just in time before the January window closes. After signing off on the sale of Kyogo Furuhashi to Rennes earlier this week, another forward could be on his way out the door as well. Luis Palma has been the subject of a lot of speculation lately as his position at the club has come into doubt, having slipped significantly down the pecking order.

The Honduras international has played just 269 minutes of football in all competitions so far this season and plenty of rumours have been doing the rounds regarding him leaving Parkhead this year. A new update has since landed, which could spell a last-minute January exit.

According to To10.gr (via Sport Witness), Olympiacos are looking to sign Palma before the window closes, and the club’s technical leaders have ‘already given the green light’ for the pursuit of the winger. The Greek side reportedly want to sign Palma ‘immediately’ and he has also ‘said yes’ to joining the red and white side.

Another update from Greek journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos claims that Olympiacos are now ‘really close’ to signing Palma. However, neither report has indicated whether this will be a loan move or a permanent signing.

Rangers could miss out on signing defender

Rangers have been looking at signing Italian defender Nicolò Bertola from Serie B side Spezia but they could be knocked out of the race for his signature by clubs closer to home. According to Mailsport, the Gers’ hopes have been dashed as Italian powerhouses Inter have now entered the picture.

Nils Koppen had identified Bertola as a strong centre-back target for the summer, as his contract with Spezia is due to expire at the end of the season. However, his performance and his side being third in Serie B has alerted those in the division above.

Alongside Inter, Bologna and Torino are also said to be admirers of Bertola, who has been turning heads at just 21 years of age. Rangers had been set on signing him as a free agent but reigning Serie A champions Inter have reportedly contacted his representatives, who are eager on making the move happen to keep him in Italy but move him up to the top flight.