Rangers target in 'delicate' scenario as Rodgers turns Celtic cheerleader over star 'like a different animal'

The Scottish Premiership season is now underway and Rangers kicked things off with a visit to the capital to face Hearts.

Unfortunately for Philippe Clement’s side, they were unable to find a way through the Jambos defence and had to settle for a 0-0 draw. Back in Glasgow though, it was quite the opposite for Celtic, who enjoyed a statement 4-0 win over Kilmarnock.

As the Old Firm rivals prepare to take on their next lot of opponents, we’ve rounded up the latest news from their first results of the 2024/25 season.

Rodgers praises ‘outstanding’ Hoops star

Four different players got themselves on the scoresheet on Sunday in Celtic’s 4-0 win, one of them being Reo Hatate. The midfielder scored the Hoops’ first goal of the season with a neat finish just inside the box.

It was a perfect opening game for the midfielder, who was held back for the majority of last season due to injuries. Speaking after the match, Brendan Rodgers had a lot of praise for Hatate, who scored after just 17 minutes.

“The player I’ve seen over the course of pre-season is the player I expected to see last season. He never really got to the level he wanted to consistently last season. Now I’m seeing a different animal,” the boss said.

“His mentality, his focus, the quality of his game. When he’s playing against bigger opponents, he’s shown he can play to a high level. He’s an outstanding footballer and he’ll be very important for us this season.”

Rangers target in ‘delicate’ situation

Rangers are still on the hunt for new signings this summer and they have been linked with free agent Tyrese Campbell. The striker left Stoke City upon the expiration of his contract this summer and the Gers have been monitoring his situation.

However, a number of EFL Championship clubs are also keen on Campbell, with Swansea City one of the latest clubs to register their interest. Manager Luke Williams has been open about his interest in the 24-year-old but hasn’t given away much regarding the Swans’ stance on signing him.

"I know the player, most Championship coaches are going to be a big fan of the player. But he also has some very delicate circumstances at the moment that we need to be respectful of, so I think it’s best not to talk about that too much at the moment,” he said after his side’s latest pre-season win (via Wales Online).