Euro giants 'inform' Celtic of £3.5m transfer clause decision, ex Rangers ace makes Jack Butland Ibrox future prediction

Celtic have wrapped up another Scottish Premiership title to add to their growing Parkhead trophy cabinet, while Rangers are preparing for a hectic summer with the pending 49ers Enterprises takeover is expected to finalised in June.

While Brendan Rodgers’ side are in the market for a number of exciting new signings to bolster their squad, their own players have also been attracting attention. We’ve rounded up some of the latest Celtic and Rangers transfer rumours as the final weeks of the season tick down.

Olympiacos ‘make decision’ over Celtic loanee

Celtic have been officially informed of Olympiakos’ decision that they will NOT be taking up their option to buy winger Luis Palma.

The Honduran international has been used sparingly by the Greek Super League giants since joining the club on loan in the January window and he now faces an uncertain future at Parkhead.

Despite still having three years left on his current Hoops deal, Palma has been deemed surplus to requirement by manager Brendan Rodgers and reports in Greece have now confirmed that Olympiakos have told the Scottish champions that they are unwilling to meet his £3.5 million clause, meaning the 25-year-old will return to Glasgow in the summer after the Greek Cup Final against OFI Crete later this month.

Palma, who has made only two starts for the Athens club, was part of Olympiacos’ title-winning celebrations at the weekend with just one final league game of the campaign against Panathinaikos to come on Sunday.

And boss Jose Luis Mendilibar hinted last month that Olympiacos would not be turning his loan move into a permanent one, stating: “I have already made my decisions about the players who will stay and who will go at the end of the season. And it will be very difficult for them to change my mind in the remaining games of the season.”

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Ex-Ibrox star makes Jack Butland future prediction

Jack Butland would have plenty of interested suitors if he opts to leave Rangers this summer, but he will have a real hunger going into pre-season if he decided to stay put, according to former Ibrox defender Richard Foster.

Foster reckons the correct decision was taken by interim boss Barry Ferguson to remove the ex-England international from the firing line after making a number of high-profile goalkeeper errors this season.

Understudy Liam Kelly has since come in and enjoyed a decent run in the team and Foster predicts a spell out of the starting XI will spark a real fire in Butland’s stomach to reclaim the No.1 jersey come the summer.

Speaking on the Go Radio Football Show, he said: “I think Butland has done all he would need to do in terms of getting a move. I don't think clubs are going to be 'right, we need a goalkeeper, let's go look at the last three games of the season'. I think they've already made their mind up and if he is intent on leaving, then I think he will probably have suitors. He will have clubs come in for him. He's a fantastic goalkeeper.

“He went through a bit of a rough patch and I agreed with the decision to take him out. I think sometimes as players - it is not a selfish thing - but you just think you can play through it. But sometimes you just need to be removed from the situation. I think what you would imagine is you will get a goalkeeper - if he is staying at Rangers - that he is hungry to prove over pre-season that he is going to come back in and be No1.

“Then it becomes a good fight between him and Liam Kelly. But I think deep down and in the cold light of day he was probably happy to be taken out. He wasn't making mistakes every week. But then he was making quite basic errors for a goalkeeper of his quality. If he is in the mindset that he wants to leave Rangers, then I think there will be clubs interested in him.”

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