EFL club table loan offer for Celtic fringe man as departed Rangers star explains protracted transfer exit

Celtic and Rangers will kick-off their respective Scottish Premiership campaigns this weekend, with both clubs still hopeful of completing further transfer business.

The Hoops are stepping up their interest in a couple of players, while the Light Blues remain in the market for more reinforcements after clearing their first Champions League hurdle by overcoming Panathinaikos on Wednesday.

We’ve rounded up some of the latest transfer headlines for both Glasgow clubs:

Plymouth make loan offer for out-of-favour Celtic defender

Plymouth Argyle have submitted a loan offer for centre-back Stephen Welsh, who is expected to leave Celtic this summer either on a temporary or permanent basis.

The Hoops academy graduate has fallen out of favour under Brendan Rodgers and spent time on loan in the Belgian top-flight at KV Mechelen last season.

Mechelen tried to sign him on a permanent deal earlier this summer but were unable to reach an agreement with the Scottish champions.

Now, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph, the Hoops are ‘considering’ an offer tabled by the EFL League One club.

And ex-Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew reckons it’s time for Welsh to move on and look elsewhere for regular game time.

Speaking on Go Radio, he said: “He’s 25 years old. He’s got to go. He’s never going to be a regular at Celtic. Brendan Rodgers has shown that he’s never going to start there.

“He’s been a decent enough servant. He’s come in at times when they’ve struggled in that position and done ok. He’s not a huge presence at the back.

“The young lad’s come through the system and done OK and he showed a good attitude. He was on loan last year and did OK. He looks like he’s going to move on and it’s best for all parties.”

Robin Propper transfer exit far from a smooth process

Robin Propper has confessed his return to FC Twente was far from straightforward - after quitting Rangers just 12 months into his deal.

Followings several weeks of discussions between the two clubs, the Dutchman took his time to weigh up his future until he was offered a four-year contract by the Eredivisie club last week.

The 31-year-old central defender admits he enjoyed his one season at Ibrox but concedes his transfer exit dragged on for longer than expected.

“I'm really happy with how everything went,” Propper stated. “I went there with my family and experienced what it's like to play in a major foreign league. It's a club with a lot of history and a loyal fan base. I witnessed that first-hand.

"The media got wind of it (Rangers exit) pretty early on, but it wasn't as easy as it seemed. Luckily, we were able to smooth things over and I was able to return.”