Celtic offer 24-year-old star big new contract as Rangers face four-way English battle for defender

Scottish champions Celtic endured a night to forget in the Champions League as they suffered a damaging 6-0 away defeat at the hands of Spanish giants Atletico Madrid.

The Hoops lost a goal and a player within the opening 25  minutes of the game and never recovered in what proved to be an impossible task. The result marked Atletico Madrid’s biggest ever margin of victory in the competition, scoring six goals in a single game for the first time. 

Celtic will hope for a strong response as they return to domestic action against Aberdeen, while rivals Rangers will hope to treat their fans to a better showing when they host Sparta Prague in the Europa League.

As a busy week of Scottish football continues, GlasgowWorld rounds up all of the latest headlines from both Old Firm clubs.

Celtic offer 24-year-old a new long term deal

Celtic fans were hit with a major blow in their hopes of progressing beyond the group stage in the Champions League, but some more positive news might be around the corner as the Hoops edge closer to securing the long-term future of David Turnbull.

The 24-year-old midfielder arrived at Celtic in 2020 from Motherwell for a fee of £3m - which was a club record fee for The Steelman at the time.

Turnbull has helped Celtic lift two Scottish Premierships, two Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups, during a three-year period and has amassed 93 league appearances.

The ex-Motherwell man is in a rich vein of goalscoring form and has hit five goals in nine league appearances this term.

Turnbull’s existing contract runs until the end of the season, but manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed that the ball is in the player’s court.

He told the Daily Record: “David is a player we would like to keep, so it is not us here on the club side. He has to do what he thinks is right for himself.

“At this moment in time, he is still in the last year of his contract. Unless something changes, it is just a case of as long as the players are giving their all.”

Journalist Mark Guidi, says he has a feeling that Celtic will offer the player a bumper deal to keep him at the club.

Guidi told The Go Radio Football Show: “He’ll be offered something. He’s important to Celtic. He’s a quality footballer. It just depends on what will satisfy David. But there’s no doubt that Celtic will make him an offer and make him an attractive offer for him to stay but he might want to look to do something else.”

Rangers face transfer battle with four English clubs to sign defender

Phillipe Clement is hoping to make his mark as Rangers boss in his first transfer window with the club.

Sky Sports reports that one player high on the club’s radar is £3.5m rated central defender Nathaniel Adjei.

The 21-year-old Hammarby defender has been the subject of interest for a number of clubs due to his strong performances in recent months. The outlet adds that the Ghanaian youngster has been monitored by the likes of Preston North End, Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Leeds United.

Adjei was involved in 20 games in the Swedish tip-flight last term as his team recorded a sixth place finish. His former manager Marti Cifuentes, who now works as Queens Park Rangers boss, has spoken highly of the defenders potential.

He told Ghana Soccer Net in an earlier interview: “Adjei will develop into a top-notch defender. We know the talent we have on our hands because he has displayed glimpses of being a top-notch footballer.”