Rangers hero rules out second spell at Ibrox as Celtic handed blow in hopes of signing 20-year-old striker

The Scottish Premiership title race is hotting up at the halfway stage of the season. Back-to-back defeats for early pacesetters Celtic have quickly opened up the door for arch-rivals Rangers who are enjoying a tremendous resurgence under the guidance of Philippe Clement.

The Gers, who are fresh from their League Cup triumph at the weekend, have the chance to pile further pressure on the league leaders when they play host to strugglers St Johnstone in a huge game at Ibrox.

Celtic face a must-win game against Livingston at the weekend as they aim to swing the momentum back in their favour ahead of a highly-anticipated Old Firm Derby at the end of 2023.

The title race is expected to be tightly fought this year, based on recent events and it appears increasingly likely that the January transfer window will play a decisive role in deciding which of the Glasgow giants wins silverware at the end of the season.

With that in mind we round up the latest transfer news and headlines from Scotland’s two leading clubs.

Rangers hero rules out return to Ibrox as he becomes free agent

Alfredo Morelos has reflected fondly on his time as a Rangers player by referring to it as “something beautiful.”

The 11-time Colombia international was a firm fan-favourite  for six-seasons - scoring an impressive 78 goals in 178 league appearances, whilst lifting the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup and also reaching the final of the Europa League.

The 27-year-old told La Razon: “I have a very nice story in Rangers, the six seasons I lived through were something beautiful, I will never forget it. 

“Winning two titles, being the all-time top scorer in European tournaments, are one of the most significant things in my career.”

Morelos left Rangers upon the expiration of his contract this summer. A brief six-month stint at Santos followed but he is now found himself as a free agent once again due to a relegation release clause in his contract.

Some Rangers fans have called on the club to re-sign their former talisman but Glasgow Times claims his £40,000 wage demands could prevent him finding a suitor.

The outlet adds that Morelos’ agent has set his sights on a move to Russia - ruling out a potential reunion with the Ibrox faithful.

Celtic handed blow in hopes of signing 20-year-old striker

Celtic are believed to be in the market for a striker as they look to rediscover their goalscoring form after defeats to both Hearts and Kilmarnock.

Reports from Football.Scotland claim they have revisited former transfer target Szymon Wlodarcyk of Sturm Graz. Wlodarczyk is a promising 20-year-old striker who has impressed in the Austrian Bundesliga and thrived in Poland’s U21 and U17 setups.

The forward has already garnered European experience and has the room to develop into a star in years to come. However, the Austrian side have dismissed Celtic’s efforts to sign the striker and have set a lucrative valuation of £15m which has priced the Hoops out of a potential January deal.