South Korea star handed transfer advice amid Celtic links, Rangers winger ‘set to quit’ Ibrox in January

Celtic and Rangers are stepping up preparations for the return to Scottish Premiership action.

Ange Postecoglou’s league leaders will travel to Portugal this week for a period of warm-weather training, while Rangers manager Michael Beale readying his squad for a tricky friendly encounter with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen this weekend.

Here are the latest headlines involving the two Glasgow clubs today...

Gue-Sung handed transfer advice amid Celtic links

South Korea World Cup star Cho Gue-Sung is close to finalising a January move overseas, according to his father.

The Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors striker, who is the current top scorer in the K-League 1, has been strongly linked with a move to Celtic with Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou believed to be a keen admirer.

The 24-year-old impressed for his country in Qatar - becoming the first South Korean player to score twice in a World Cup match after netting a double against Ghana in the group stages. He has attracted plenty of interest across Europe but a transfer to Parkhead could possibly be on the cards.

With the long-term future of Greek frontman Giorgos GIakoumakis up in the air after contract talks stalled, Postecoglou is eager to strengthen his attacking options next month.

Cho Gue-Sung’s father said: “The advice I have given my son is when he signs for a team abroad, go to a club that can play the way he likes, rather than choosing a club because they are a big name. He needs a club that will help him to adapt and settle down to a new lifestyle on and off the pitch.

“I know his agent is in the process of finalising negotiations regarding his transfer overseas. He will certainly go to Europe. Ahead of the World Cup, I told him that this was a tournament that he had to show everyone what he could do on the pitch and I think he did that. He has had a great time and I am certainly very proud of him.”

Nicholas slams Lawwell Celtic return

Charlie Nicholas has slammed Celtic’s decision to appoint the returning Peter Lawwell as non-executive chairman as a ‘negative move’.

The former Hoops striker has publicly made his feelings known towards Lawwell in recent times and while the news was greeted by a mixed reception from supporters, Nicholas was far from pleased.

Writing in his Scottish Daily Express column, Nicholas said: “Peter Lawwell’s appointment as Celtic chairman from January is certainly not a forward step. People are talking about him returning to the club but he has never really been away. I’m sure the majority of Celtic supporters will not be welcoming him back.

“It is a negative move for the club, although it’s no secret I haven’t been a fan of Lawwell for a long time. He has too much of an ego and it’s too much about him. Being chairman is different from his previous role as chief executive but he is still there, with a voice. He stepped down at the end of the 2020/21 season which saw Celtic fail to win 10-in-a-row.

“Well, if you know your history that was more down to Lawwell than Neil Lennon or anybody else who fell asleep at the wheel and messed up. The decision to bring him back to Parkhead is a camouflage, like it never happened.”

Winger ‘set to quit’ Gers as betting market warms up

Rangers winger Ryan Kent could be heading for a January exit as talks over a new contract continue to stall, according to reports.

The former Liverpool youth player could he ready to quit Ibrox in favour of a retun to Merseyside next month, with Premier League outfit Everton odds-on 4/5 favourites with Coral to sign the 26-year-old.

The Toffees have emerged as clear front-runners to snap up Kent after newly-appointed Gers boss Michael Beale and members of the club’s board suggested the contract terms put to the Englishman were ‘unattainable’ at today’s AGM.

Aston Villa are also understood to be keeping tabs on Kent. Speculation on a move to the Midlands club had heightened following Steven Gerrard’s appointment before he was sacked in October.

Banfield impressed by youth potential

New Rangers assistant manager Neil Banfield admits he has been impressed by the quality within the club’s youth academy since joining as part of Michael Beale’s backroom staff.

The former Arsenal coach is expected to help Beale complete a drastic squad overhaul over the next six months, but has hinted that some of the Light Blues promising talents like Zak Lovelace and Alex Lowry could be handed more first-team opportunities in the near future.

He told Rangers TV: “We’ve seen the quality in the squad over the last few days and the work that Michael wants to do. They’ve been very receptive to what Mick wants to put into them and they’ve trained with intensity. I think they’ve enjoyed the training that Mick has put on and we can see that there is a good future for us.

“We’ve seen that there are some young players which is great, and there are some good young players coming through at the club which is the bedrock in building a successful football team. And allied to the great experience that the team’s got, it bears for a really good run-in for the rest of the season.”