Celtic and Rangers both secured victories in last night’s Scottish Premiership fixtures, with the champions maintaining their perfect start and the Ibrox side building momentum with back-to-back wins. Motherwell ended a four-game winless run in style, while St Mirren piled more pressure on Kilmarnock and Dundee were held by a late St Johnstone equaliser.

Celtic 3-0 Aberdeen

Celtic made it four wins from four in the league with a commanding first-half display against Aberdeen at Celtic Park. Camilo Durán opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a powerful strike from the edge of the box that flew into the top corner, before Benjamin Nygren doubled the lead in the 34th minute, finishing low after good work down the right. Yang Hyun-jun sealed the points in first half injury time, coolly slotting home after a perfectly weighted pass from Durán. Aberdeen had a chance to pull one back when Gavin Molloy headed against the crossbar, but Celtic’s control and clinical finishing ensured a comfortable night for Martin O’Neill’s side. Durán now has six goals in his last seven games as Celtic stay top of the table.

Falkirk 1-2 Rangers

Lawrence Shankland scored twice as Rangers beat Falkirk 2-1 at The Falkirk Stadium, easing pressure on Derek McInnes. Shankland gave Rangers an eighth-minute lead, finishing neatly after being teed up by Djeidi Gassama, but Falkirk equalised just before half-time when Kosta Nedeljkovic turned Ethan Ross’ low cross into his own net. Shankland restored Rangers’ lead in the 79th minute, sweeping home from Ross McCrorie’s pass. Falkirk spurned several chances to go ahead after the break, with Jacob Murrell twice shooting straight at Ivor Pandur when better placed. Rangers move up to fifth on seven points from four games; Falkirk remain without a league win.

Motherwell 3-0 Dundee United

Motherwell ended a four-game winless run with a dominant 3-0 victory over 10-man Dundee United at Fir Park. Emmanuel Agyei was sent off in the 14th minute for a foul on Alex Lowry, leaving United with a mountain to climb. Seb Palmer-Houlden opened the scoring in the 19th minute, finishing Tom Sparrow’s cross, before Alex Lowry scored a superb 25-yard strike in the 65th minute. Dylan Levitt netted on his debut just two minutes later with a low shot from distance. Motherwell dominated possession and chances, climbing to third in the table while Dundee United suffered a third defeat in four league games.

Kilmarnock 0-1 St Mirren

St Mirren took advantage of Kilmarnock’s defensive woes to win 1-0 at Rugby Park, leaving Neil McCann’s side still searching for their first point of the season. Fraser Taylor scored the only goal inside four minutes, side-footing home after St Mirren sliced through the home defence. Kilmarnock, who have now conceded 14 goals in four league matches, failed to create enough to earn even a draw on a wet night in Ayrshire. St Mirren made it three wins from four under Craig McLeish and remain second in the table; Kilmarnock are rock bottom with zero points.

Dundee 1-1 St Johnstone

Dundee were denied a late win at Dens Park as St Johnstone grabbed a 90th-minute equaliser to share the points. Charlie Reilly headed Dundee into the lead with just three minutes remaining, nodding in after Joe Westley’s header came off the crossbar. St Johnstone responded almost immediately when substitute Josh Fowler curled a powerful shot past Owen Goodman to level at 1-1. The draw extends Dundee’s strong recent record against Saints, with only one defeat in the last 11 meetings, but both sides will feel they could have taken more from a tight contest.

Celtic have moved to shore up their squad ahead of the Europa League registration deadline with the signing of Jordan Lotomba from Feyenoord on a one-year contract, subject to international clearance.

The 27-year-old Switzerland international arrives in Glasgow after two seasons in Rotterdam, where he made 41 appearances for the Dutch side, including 28 league games last term. His arrival was confirmed in an official club statement late last night that described him as a “quick, strong and experienced player” capable of operating on either flank.

Manager Martin O’Neill said he was “really pleased to bring Jordan to Celtic”, adding that the defender’s comfort on the ball and adaptability would add quality to a back line that has been stretched by injury. Alistair Johnston is not expected back until late October, leaving Lotomba as the most senior right-sided option available for the coming weeks.

Before his move to the Netherlands, Lotomba spent four seasons at Nice in Ligue 1 and won three consecutive Swiss league titles with Young Boys, experience that Celtic hope will translate quickly into European and domestic fixtures. He is already familiar with Celtic from the 2025 Europa League, when he lined up for Feyenoord in their 3-1 defeat to the Scottish champions in Rotterdam.

The deal was struck as part of a late flurry of activity on Celtic’s behalf, with five new players confirmed in a single day as the club worked to register additions before Wednesday night’s UEFA deadline. Alongside Lotomba, goalkeeper Sam Johnstone joined on loan from Wolves, teenage forwards Shumaira Mheuka and Landon Emenalo arrived on season-long loans from Chelsea, and 19-year-old Dutch midfielder Joel van den Berg signed a four-year contract after leaving PSV Eindhoven.

Feyenoord were understood to be willing to let Lotomba go without a significant upfront fee, with negotiations focusing on performance-related add-ons and a sell-on clause, helped by the fact that his contract was in its final year. For Celtic, the move represents both a short-term fix and a longer-term option should the defender impress during his season in Glasgow.

Celtic have completed the signing of 19-year-old midfielder Joel van den Berg from PSV Eindhoven on a four-year contract, with the option of a further season.

The deal, which remains subject to international clearance, is understood to be worth up to £3.4m. Celtic will pay an initial £2.9m for the Netherlands youth international, with a further £500,000 available in add-ons.

Van den Berg becomes Martin O’Neill’s latest addition as Celtic strengthen their squad following last season’s title success. The midfielder signed his first professional contract with PSV in 2023, after moving to the Dutch club from the Vitesse academy.

He developed into a regular for PSV’s under-21 side and made his first-team debut against FC Groningen last season. He went on to make six official appearances for PSV, five of them during a campaign which ended with the club being crowned champions.

Van den Berg said he was relishing the opportunity to begin his Celtic career and work with the Scottish champions.

“It feels amazing and I’m very excited to start,” he told CelticPlayer. “I’m very excited to meet the rest of the team and to train with them and, obviously, I want to play many games and show myself to the fans.

“I want to show the best version of myself and develop as a player and also as a person, of course, and just make the fans proud.”

The move represents a significant step for Van den Berg, who believes Celtic’s status and expectations will help accelerate his development.

“Celtic is a very big club and they have to be champions,” he said. “So playing for the champions is, I think at this age, a very big step for me and very important.”

O’Neill welcomed the midfielder to Celtic and backed him to become a popular figure at Parkhead.

“We are really pleased to bring Joel to the club,” the Celtic manager said. “He is a hungry young player with real talent and technical ability and I believe he has a very exciting future ahead of him.

“I think he is a player that our fans will enjoy watching and I know he will be an important addition to our squad.”

“I’d like to make it clear that I’m very grateful for my time at PSV,” Van den Berg said. “I enjoyed playing at the Philips Stadium and the fantastic support from our fans.

“I’d also like to thank everyone at the club: from the staff to the people in the kitchen. And, of course, my teammates for the wonderful time we had.

“I look back with pride on my time in Eindhoven, where I was able to take significant steps forward both as a player and as a person. Who knows—maybe our paths will cross again in the future.”

Rangers midfielder Thelo Aasgaard has joined Belgian giants Anderlecht on loan for the remainder of the season, with the club holding an option to make the move permanent in the summer.

The deal will see Rangers receive a reported £1 million loan fee, while Anderlecht now have the opportunity to sign the 24-year-old on a permanent basis at the end of the campaign.

A Rangers statement read: “Thelo Aasgaard has tonight joined Anderlecht on-loan for the remainder of the season. The deal will see Rangers receive a significant loan fee, while Anderlecht also have an option to make the deal permanent. Everyone at Rangers wishes Thelo the best for his spell in Belgium.”

Aasgaard made a strong start to the season, scoring on the opening day against Dundee United. However, opportunities have become increasingly limited in recent weeks. The arrival of Minsu Kim, who operates in the attacking midfield role, has added further competition for places and restricted Aasgaard’s playing time.

The Norway international midfielder had travelled with the Rangers squad before the move was finalised, with manager Derek McInnes revealing that developments had accelerated during the day.

“Thelo travelled with us earlier in the day to the hotel, but obviously things kind of moved on pretty quickly and materialised there,” McInnes told RangersTV.

“So, as far as I’m led to believe, there’s a deal being agreed. And Thelo is speaking to the club now, maybe going through a medical, but I don’t think it’s finalised yet.

“But it looks likely that Thelo’s season is going to be with someone else, and we wish him well if that is the case.

“But, you know, it’s sometimes just the way it is on the transfer window the last couple of days.

“There’s a wee bit of to-ing and fro-ing, and it’s not ideal from a manager’s point of view.”

Celtic have completed their latest summer signing with 18-year-old left-back Landon Emenalo joining on a season-long loan from Chelsea, bolstering Martin O’Neill’s squad ahead of the domestic and European campaigns.

The Scottish champions moved to address left-back cover with Kieran Tierney as the only specialist senior option in that role, with Liam Scales occasionally filling in. Emenalo had visited Lennoxtown last month and was tracked closely by the club, though a minor training knock at Chelsea briefly complicated timing before paperwork was finalised.

The agreement is understood to be a straight loan with no option or obligation to buy, aligning with Celtic’s recent strategy of targeted, short-term reinforcements.

The 18-year-old progressed through Monaco and Chelsea’s academy systems and has been a key figure for Chelsea’s under-21s, while also featuring in first-team squads at Stamford Bridge. Primarily a left-back, he is noted for his pace, athleticism and composure in possession, with a tendency to push high into attacking areas -attributes that fit O’Neill’s emphasis on width and overlapping full-backs.

After signing, Emenalo said: “It feels great to have joined Celtic, such a big club with a massive history. I knew a bit about Celtic, but I realised just how big the club is when I first visited!” He added: “I know the club has such a huge support and that the fans here are so passionate for their club, so I’m going to do my best for them every time I play and try and play a role in our success.”

On working with Martin O’Neill, he added: “I have spoken to the Manager and he’s a great guy with a lot of experience and a great coach, so I’m really looking forward to working with him.”

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill welcomed the arrival, stating: “Landon is a very good player we have followed for some time, he will give us some real quality.

“I know he has a real desire to do well for us and I am sure he will, as he adds strong competition and support on our left side.”

Emenalo’s arrival follows a busy late push that has already seen Oliver Sørensen join on loan from Parma, Wolves keeper Sam Johnstone on loan and fellow Chelsea Under-21 team mate Shim Mheuka joining earlier today on loan until the end of the season.

With the Scottish transfer window open until Thursday at 5pm, Celtic have used the extra time to finalise targeted additions, and Emenalo provides immediate cover and competition for Tierney as the Hoops prepare for domestic fixtures and Europa League commitments.

Celtic have completed the signing of Chelsea striker Shim Mheuka on a season-long loan deal.

The 18-year-old has also signed a new contract with the Premier League club, keeping him at Stamford Bridge until 2031. He becomes the latest addition to Martin O’Neill’s squad as Celtic look to strengthen their attacking options.

Mheuka joined Chelsea at the age of 13 and went on to make nine senior appearances for the club since making his first-team debut in a UEFA Conference League victory over Astana in December 2024.

The forward enjoyed an impressive campaign with Chelsea Under-21s last season, scoring 18 goals in 19 Premier League 2 appearances and captaining the side to a first-place finish. His performances saw him named the 2025/26 Premier League 2 Player of the Season.

Mheuka admitted he was delighted to have joined the Scottish champions and spoke of his excitement at playing in front of the Celtic support.

“It’s amazing. Walking in, I could feel the echo and the surround sound of the stadium. You almost feel the history as you walk in. It’s a real feeling. I wish everyone could feel it. It’s an amazing feeling and I’m so, so happy to be here.

“This is something that I’ve been doing since I was a little kid. To be able to do it in front of the Celts and the fans, and show my ability in front of them, is something that I can’t wait to do.

“It’s almost a feeling of excitement rather than nerves. I can’t wait to score at Celtic Park. I’ll be chasing that feeling every game and every chance that I get. I’m over the moon and buzzing to be here. I’m eager, if you can’t tell, so I’m ready. Let’s go.”

O’Neill believes the loan move will benefit both the player and Celtic during the coming season.

The Celtic manager said: “Shim has great quality, hence Chelsea extending his contract. However, I think this period of his career spent with us will be beneficial to him and, obviously, to us.

“I look forward to working with him. He is a player who I think can give us another great attacking dimension, and I’m sure he will make an important contribution to Celtic.”

Mheuka now joins a Celtic side that have made a perfect start to their Scottish Premiership title defence, winning each of their opening three league matches and currently top as they look to secure their 6th league title in a row.

He will face stiff competition with Kasper Hogh, Camilo Duran, and Callum Osmand the current strikers - after Johnny Kenny was sold to Preston North End on transfer deadline day.

Celtic have secured the services of experienced England international goalkeeper Sam Johnstone on a season-long loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, subject to international clearance. The 33-year-old arrives at Celtic Park to bolster the Scottish champions’ goalkeeping options alongside Finnish keeper Viljami Sinisalo and Scot Ross Doohan.

Johnstone brings more than 350 league appearances across England’s top flights, having begun his career at Manchester United in 2011 before spells at clubs including Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace. He spent the past two seasons with Wolves, making 17 appearances last term after joining the Midlands side in August 2024.

The keeper also has four senior caps for England, notably keeping a clean sheet in each of those international outings, with his most recent appearance coming in 2023. At Wolves, he lost his Premier League starting place in December and has not featured since their FA Cup defeat to Liverpool in early March, making a move to Celtic an attractive opportunity to reignite his campaign.

Speaking to CelticPlayer after completing his move, Johnstone said he was “buzzing” to join the club and eager to get started.

“I didn’t need convincing by anyone, but Joe Hart rang me the other day just to reiterate what a place this is, what a great group of lads and how the fans are unbelievable,” Johnstone said. “For someone like that to ring me up and reiterate again the size of the club and what it means to people, it just made me so excited to get here and get started.”

He added: “I think everyone knows the goalie groups are a tight-knit group. We work closely together every day and hopefully I can help Vil and he can help me, and we push each other and we support each other along with the other goalies and the goalie coaches.”

Johnstone also highlighted the pressure and expectation that comes with playing for Celtic.

“You hear about the size of the club, and you know about the size of the club, but just being here for a day, you notice how big the club is,” he said. “And the pressure to win, which is what I like – pressure to win, pressure to perform and we all want to win trophies. You hear about the atmosphere at the stadium and that’s something I can’t wait to play in front of.”

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill described Johnstone as a “quality keeper with excellent experience at the highest level” and said he would be a strong addition to the goalkeeping team.

“We are really happy to welcome Sam to Celtic,” O’Neill said. “He is a quality keeper with excellent experience at the highest level and I think he will be a very good addition to our goalkeeping team. He is really looking forward to joining Celtic, to add competition to our team and we are pleased to bring a goalkeeper of this quality to the club.”

Johnstone’s arrival adds proven top-flight pedigree to a goalkeeping department that previously featured Sinisalo, 24, and Doohan, 28, as the only senior options following Kasper Schemichel’s retirement at the end of last season. With Celtic competing domestically and in Europe, the loan deal provides experienced cover and competition as the season progresses.

Burnley have snapped up Celtic’s Reo Hatate on transfer deadline day for a reported £7.5 million plus £2.5 million in add ons. The Japan international has signed a three-year deal at Turf Moor, ending a four-and-a-half-year spell in Glasgow that delivered nine major honours, including five league titles and 33 goals in 191 appearances.

Hatate’s exit had been on the cards for weeks after he had submitted a transfer request last season and knocked back approaches from Austria, Greece and the US before settling on England. With the English window shutting at 11pm on 1 September, Burnley moved late last night to sign the 28 year old.

It’s the end of an era at Celtic, as the last of Ange Postecoglou’s trio of Japanese imports departs the club following Daizen Maeda’s transfer to Ipswich Town earlier this summer, and Kyogo Furuhashi’s departure in January 2025.

Hatate swiftly became a fan favourite following his signing from Kawasaki Frontale in January 2022, making an immediate impact with a man-of-the-match performance on his debut against Hibernian, before scoring two goals and an assist in the Glasgow derby against Rangers just weeks later. He became regular in Celtic’s starting eleven, helping the club win the league in every campaign he played, including two Scottish Cups and two League Cups, and earning SPFL Team of the Year honours twice.

He had lost his place in the second half of last season under Martin O’Neill and this season had only featured in Celtic’s Champions League play-off defeat to LASK Linz, underlining his reduced role before the move.

Speaking after his move to Turf Moor, Hatate said: “This is a great move for me. It’s my first time playing in England and it’s a fantastic club to be joining. I’m hoping to bring my experience and knowledge to the dressing room and help the team on the pitch as much as possible to achieve our aim.”

Earlier in the day, Celtic had signed Parma’s Oliver Sorensen on loan with an option to buy, and that had followed the signing of Mika Baur last month from SC Paderborn 07.

Rangers midfielder Connor Barron has completed a season-long loan deal to Championship side Middlesbrough on transfer deadline day, leaving Ibrox in search of regular first-team football after falling down Derek McInnes’s pecking order.

The 24-year-old, who arrived from Aberdeen on a free transfer in summer 2024, travelled to Teesside late on Tuesday to finalise the deal before the English window closed at 11pm. Middlesbrough moved for Barron as a defensive-minded option to bolster Kim Hellberg’s midfield, following the exit of Abdoulaye Kante.

Barron had initially preferred to stay and compete for his place at Rangers, even turning down a loan approach from Hannover earlier on deadline day, but ultimately accepted the switch to the English Championship as his opportunities would be limited under McInnes.

Rangers’ midfield has been heavily reworked this summer with Dan Neil, Vanja Dragojevic and Cammy Devlin signed, while Mo Diomande has departed for Turkish club Çorum FK. Nico Raskin remains at Ibrox despite the club looking to offload him.

With no European football for Rangers and McInnes playing with a two-man central midfield, Barron was deemed surplus to requirements as the club trimmed the squad.

Barron becomes Middlesbrough’s 12th and final signing of a busy summer, arriving alongside Brighton winger Amario Cozier-Duberry on loan.

Lyall Cameron has completed a season-long loan move from Rangers to Dundee United, bringing the 23-year-old midfielder back to Tayside and the club where he first came through the youth system.

The deal was confirmed by both Rangers and Dundee United on Tuesday evening, subject to SFA registration, with Cameron set to wear the number 16 shirt for the Terrors. He joined Rangers on a free transfer from Dundee last summer but found opportunities limited at Ibrox, making only 10 first-team appearances, half of them as a substitute, before spending the second half of the 2025/26 season on loan at Aberdeen. During that spell at Pittodrie he featured 17 times, mostly as a starter, but has not played for Rangers since returning this summer.

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin pointed to Cameron’s local connections and familiarity with the club as major factors in securing the loan. “I’m delighted Lyall has decided to join us, and I look forward to getting to work with him,” Goodwin said. “He’s no stranger to this city and has tasted a lot of success here in his career to date, but he comes from a family of United fans and wants to make his mark in a Tangerine shirt. We think he will really complement our midfield options and also add that know-how of the club and of the area that he can pass on during his time here.”

Cameron, who previously had loan spells from Dundee to Peterhead and Montrose before making 120 senior appearances for the Dark Blues and earning Scotland Under-21 caps, says he is keen to contribute both creatively and in front of goal.

“I’m delighted to be here and am excited to get going,” he told United’s media. “I’m looking to create chances and score goals and hopefully get the fans off their feet. It’s no secret my family are United fans, so I’m looking forward to be playing at Tannadice in front of the home supporters soon.”

He is now in contention to make his United debut in Wednesday’s Scottish Premiership away fixture against Motherwell.

Preston North End have agreed a £3m deal with Celtic to sign Republic of Ireland forward Johnny Kenny, moving to replace Milutin Osmajic.

Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph reported that Preston have secured the fee on English transfer deadline day, with the 23-year-old travelling to Euxton to finalise a four-year deal at Deepdale. The deal represents a significant return for Celtic, who brought Kenny to Glasgow from Sligo Rovers in 2022 for a fee in the region of £125k–£140k.

Preston’s push came ahead of interest from Blackburn Rovers and Kenny’s former loan club Bolton Wanderers, with multiple outlets noting that the Lilywhites had moved decisively to beat those Championship rivals to his signature.

Kenny emerged through Sligo Rovers’ academy, scoring 11 goals in 31 appearances as a teenager before attracting Celtic’s attention. In Glasgow he made 32 appearances and found the net seven times, with his time at Parkhead punctuated by several loan spells. An initial stint at Queen’s Park yielded no goals in 12 games, but two separate periods at Shamrock Rovers saw his scoring rate rise sharply - five goals in 30 league matches in 2023, followed by a breakout campaign the next year when he registered 20 goals in 39 games across all competitions.

Last season Kenny spent the second half on loan at Bolton Wanderers, where he recorded nine goal involvements in 14 league appearances, contributing six goals and three assists as Steven Schumacher’s side secured promotion to the Championship via the play-offs. That form, combined with his experience in Ireland and Scotland, has convinced Preston to back him as Osmajic’s successor in their attack.

Nathan Patterson has completed a surprise deadline-day switch from Everton to Serie A side Torino, signing a three-year deal for an initial €1 million (£850,000) with Everton retaining a 30% sell-on clause. The 24-year-old Scotland international right-back arrived in Turin on Tuesday morning to undergo his medical before putting pen to paper on a contract that will run until summer 2029.

The transfer, agreed in the final hours before the English window closed at 11pm, represents a modest upfront fee but includes a substantial future upside for Everton should Patterson’s value rebound in Italy. Torino are understood to have secured 70% of the player’s economic rights for the €1 million outlay, with the Premier League club keeping a 30% stake on any future sale. The arrangement reflects Patterson’s diminished standing at Goodison Park after a spell blighted by injuries and competition for places, yet also signals Torino’s belief that the former Rangers academy graduate can rediscover his form in Serie A.

From Rangers to the Premier League – and now Turin

Patterson joined Everton from Rangers in January 2022 and made 68 appearances across all competitions during his four-and-a-half years on Merseyside. He made his Toffees debut in an FA Cup fifth-round win over Boreham Wood in March 2022, then featured in 19 Premier League matches in his first full season. Despite that early promise, he fell down the pecking order under successive managers and was deemed surplus to requirements as Everton sought to reshape their full-back options before the deadline.

On the international stage, Patterson has been a regular for Scotland and featured in this summer’s 2026 FIFA World Cup finals, earning caps against Haiti, Morocco and Brazil as part of Steve Clarke’s squad. His experience at the tournament, combined with his pace and defensive discipline, is expected to make him an immediate asset for Torino as they look to bolster their defensive flanks for the 2026-27 Serie A campaign.

What it means for Everton and Torino

For Everton, the deal closes another chapter in a busy deadline day. The sell-on clause provides a potential financial safety net if Patterson thrives in Italy, while freeing up wages and squad space for incoming targets. For Torino, Patterson offers a low-risk, high-upside addition to their defensive options, with the club’s sporting director Gianluca Petrachi having identified the Scot as a key target. He will join fellow countryman Che Adams at the club, reuniting two Scottish internationals in Turin.

Celtic have moved to bolster their midfield options with the arrival of Oliver Sørensen, the 24-year-old Dane joining on a season-long loan from Serie A side Parma, with an option to make the deal permanent subject to international clearance.

Sørensen arrives in Glasgow after a year in Italy, having signed for Parma in August 2025 following five seasons with FC Midtjylland in his homeland. During his time at Midtjylland he developed into one of the Superliga’s top box-to-box midfielders, winning the Danish league title in 2024 and earning a place in the league’s team of the year in both 2024 and 2025.

He made the move to Serie A with Parma, featuring in 34 league appearances for the Italian side.

Speaking to CelticPlayer after completing the formalities, Sørensen emphasised how well he believes his game aligns with Celtic.

“I feel lucky to be a part of this club now, and I hope the style of play can suit me,” he said. “It’s attacking football. They want to attack and they want to go forward. They want to push the opposing team down in their box. So, I hope I can contribute and help the team to do that.”

He added: “I love to attack, I love to run, I love to defend and I love to tackle, so I’m ready to give 100 per cent, and I can’t wait to be at Celtic Park for the first time.”

Sørensen revealed he sought advice from ex-Celtic defender Erik Sviatchenko before committing to the move.

“I spoke to him and was messaging a bit, and he congratulated me for this move and wished me good luck,” he said. “I should call him in a few days to get all the good places to go and eat and all this stuff!”

Martin O’Neill framed Sørensen’s transfer as a significant addition to a squad already busy in the late window.

“Oliver is someone with really good experience, playing at a high level in both Italy and Denmark,” O’Neill said. “He has great energy, he is able to move really well up and down the pitch with strength and can play in a number of positions across the midfield. We are looking forward to working with him and think he can be an important player for us.”

With the Scottish transfer window remaining open until 5pm on Thursday, Sørensen’s arrival is part of a wider push by Celtic to add depth and competition across the park before the deadline.

Scotland has produced many footballers who went on to represent other nations, usually because of family connections, childhood moves or eligibility through a parent or grandparent. From modern Socceroos stars to Ireland’s golden generation and the pioneering Scottish-Americans of the 1930 World Cup, these players have made a lasting impact away from the Scotland national team.

Martin Boyle - Australia

Born in Aberdeen, Martin Boyle developed through the Scottish football system with Montrose, Dundee and current club Hibernian. A fast, direct winger capable of playing on either flank or through the middle, he became one of Hibernian’s most effective attacking players, scoring 60 goals in nearly 250 appearances during his first major spell at the club.

Although Boyle represented Scotland at youth level, he qualified for Australia through his father, who was born in Sydney. He made his Socceroos debut against South Korea in 2018 and quickly announced himself with two goals and an assist in his first start. Boyle has since become a regular Australia international and was part of the squad that qualified for the 2022 World Cup, although injury prevented him from playing in the tournament. He was not selected for the final Australian World Cup squad this summer.

Harry Souttar - Australia

Harry Souttar was born in Aberdeen and raised in the small Aberdeenshire village of Luthermuir. The centre-back came through the Dundee United academy after beginning his football education in Scotland and represented Scotland at under-17 level. However, he was eligible for Australia through his mother, who was born in Western Australia, and chose to represent the Socceroos at senior level. Souttar made his Australia debut against Nepal in 2019 and scored twice in a 5–0 World Cup qualifying victory. His height, strength and ability in the air have made him a major defensive presence for Australia, particularly during the team’s run to the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup. He played for the Socceroos in this summer’s World Cup in America, while his brother John was part of Scotland’s World Cup squad.

Ray Houghton - Republic of Ireland

Born in Glasgow, Houghton moved to London with his family when he was ten. He qualified to play for the Republic of Ireland through his father, who was from County Donegal, and made his international debut in 1986.

A technically gifted and energetic midfielder, Houghton enjoyed a distinguished club career with Oxford United, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.

He became an Irish footballing hero by scoring the winning goal against England at the 1988 European Championship. Six years later, he again struck the decisive goal when Ireland defeated Italy at the 1994 World Cup. Houghton won 73 caps and scored six international goals for Ireland, becoming one of the most celebrated Scottish-born players in the country’s history.

Aiden McGeady - Republic of Ireland

Glasgow-born Aiden McGeady came through Celtic’s youth academy and established himself as an exciting attacking midfielder and winger at Parkhead. Born in 1986, he was eligible to represent the Republic of Ireland through his Irish heritage, including his Donegal family connections. However, his decision to play for Ireland saw a huge backlash from supporters across Scotland as he faced significant abuse at numerous grounds.

McGeady made his senior international debut against Jamaica in 2004 and went on to win 93 caps, scoring five goals. His dribbling ability, close control and willingness to attack defenders made him a regular feature for Ireland over more than a decade. At club level, after leaving Celtic he would go on to play for Spartak Moscow, Everton, Sheffield Wednesday, Preston North End, Sunderland, Hibernian, and Ayr United.

Internationally he represented Ireland at major tournaments including Euro 2012 and Euro 2016, before retiring from the game in 2024.

Bernie Slaven - Republic of Ireland

Born in Paisley, Bernie Slaven began his professional career in Scottish football and attracted attention after scoring 31 goals for Albion Rovers during the 1984–85 season. His performances earned him a move to Middlesbrough, where he became a hugely popular forward, scoring 147 goals in 382 appearances.

Slaven qualified for the Republic of Ireland through his family background and played under manager Jack Charlton, earning seven international caps. Although his Ireland career was relatively brief, he was part of the wider generation that helped establish the country as a major force in European football during the late 1980s and early 1990s. His sharp finishing and tireless movement made him a memorable figure for both Middlesbrough and Irish supporters.

James McCarthy - Republic of Ireland

Born and raised in Glasgow, McCarthy began his senior career with Hamilton Academical. Despite growing up entirely in Scotland, he chose to represent the Republic of Ireland because of his Irish ancestry, particularly through his grandfather from County Donegal. A composed and hard-working central midfielder, McCarthy made his senior Ireland debut in 2010 and became an important part of the team during the following decade. He was selected for Ireland’s Euro 2012 squad and later played at Euro 2016.

At club level, McCarthy earned recognition in England with Wigan Athletic and Everton before returning to Scotland to join Celtic.

Charlie Gallagher - Republic of Ireland

Gallagher was born in Glasgow to parents from County Donegal and became the first Scottish-born player to represent the Republic of Ireland. A technically accomplished inside forward, Gallagher spent the majority of his club career with Celtic, where he won major domestic honours and was part of the club’s historic European Cup-winning era in 1967. Before moving to Dumbarton.

He made his Ireland debut against Turkey in Ankara in 1967 and won two senior caps. Gallagher’s international career was short, but his place in Irish football history is significant because he helped establish a path for other Scottish-born players with Irish family connections. He was also widely respected at Celtic, where his creativity, passing and close control made him a popular player during one of the club’s greatest periods.

Scott Arfield - Canada

Born and raised in Livingston, Arfield developed his career in Scotland with Falkirk and Rangers before moving to England, where he played for Huddersfield Town and Burnley. Arfield qualified for Canada through his father, who was born in Toronto, and made his senior debut for the Canadian national team in 2016. His experience in the Scottish Premiership and English Premier League gave Canada an experienced and competitive midfielder who could contribute both defensively and in attack.

Arfield later returned to Rangers, where he became a popular figure, while continuing to represent Canada internationally.

Tommy Coyne - Republic of Ireland

Born in Govan, Coyne was a powerful and productive striker whose career was closely associated with Scottish football. He began with Clydebank before playing for Dundee United, Dundee, Celtic and Motherwell, where he scored 59 goals in 132 league appearances.

Coyne qualified for the Republic of Ireland through his Irish ancestry and won 22 caps between 1992 and 1997. He was included in Ireland’s squad for the 1994 World Cup in the United States, an achievement that represented the peak of his international career. Known for his physical strength, intelligent movement and eye for goal, Coyne was one of several Glasgow-born forwards who made an important contribution to Ireland’s international teams during the 1990s.

The Scottish-born 1930 USA World Cup players

The much-heralded 1930 United States World Cup squad included five players born in Scotland - Andy Auld, Jim Brown, Jimmy Gallagher, Bart McGhee and Alexander “Sandy” Wood. They were part of the American team that reached the semi-finals in Uruguay and finished third, to this day the United States’ best-ever World Cup result.

Auld, born in Stevenston, was a highly regarded midfielder who played every minute of the USA’s three matches. Brown came from Kilmarnock, Gallagher from Kirkintilloch, McGhee from Edinburgh and Wood from Lochgelly in Fife. McGhee scored against Belgium in the opening match, making him the scorer of the second goal in World Cup history, while all five Scots played in the semi-final against Argentina.

The group’s stories also reflect the international nature of football in the United States during the early twentieth century. McGhee and Gallagher had moved to America with their families as children, Wood arrived as a teenager, Auld emigrated in his early twenties, and Brown moved across the Atlantic in his late teens. They built their careers in American soccer and were selected on the basis of their footballing lives in the United States, rather than simply being imported professionals. Their contribution helped the USA achieve an extraordinary result at the first World Cup and remains an important part of both American and Scottish football history.

Scott McTominay will miss Scotland’s upcoming Nations League fixtures after Napoli confirmed the midfielder has been diagnosed with a mild, benign heart arrhythmia.

The 29-year-old was substituted during Napoli’s 2–1 Serie A loss to Como at the weekend and is now set to undergo a minor corrective procedure in the coming days.

Napoli expect McTominay to be back in action after the early-October international break following cardiac arrhythmia ablation, a procedure that uses heat or cold energy to create tiny scars in the heart to block faulty electrical signals and restore a normal rhythm.

The timing means McTominay is expected to miss all four of Sebastien Pocognoli’s first games in charge of Scotland - home and away against Slovenia, plus Nations League matches versus North Macedonia and Switzerland.

His absence is a significant blow to Scotland’s midfield options as they begin life under the new head coach.

Rangers manager Derek McInnes has had his immediate touchline ban reduced to two matches after a partially successful appeal against punishment for comments he made about a late Celtic penalty while still in charge of Hearts.

The Scottish FA’s disciplinary panel, hearing the case on 31 August, replaced the original four-match suspension – three to be served at once and one suspended – with a new sanction of two immediate games and two suspended until the end of the 2026/27 season. McInnes will therefore sit in the stands for Wednesday’s league trip to Falkirk and Saturday’s home fixture against Motherwell before returning to the dugout for the rearranged visit of St Mirren to Ibrox on 9 September.

The charge stems from remarks McInnes made in a Sky Sports interview on the night of 13 May, after Celtic were awarded a 96th-minute penalty at Motherwell’s Fir Park. With the title race still alive, he said: “When you heard Celtic got a 96th-minute penalty that was going to VAR and they were checking it, you just assume what’s happened is they get the penalty. Having seen it again, it’s disgusting. It is. I don’t think it’s a penalty kick. But we’re up against it. We’re up against everybody.”

The spot-kick, given for handball and converted by Kelechi Iheanacho, secured a 3–2 victory for Celtic, keeping them one point behind Hearts before they clinched the league on the final day as they beat Hearts 3-1. Willie Collum, the SFA’s head of referees, later backed the decision, citing “clear evidence” that Motherwell’s Sam Nicholson had placed his hand and arm in an unnatural position, making it a punishable offence.

Rangers contested the original ruling on the basis that McInnes’ comments were directed at the specific decision rather than constituting a wider attack on match officials. In a statement issued in July, the club argued that “respect for officials and legitimate scrutiny are not competing principles” and that managers, players and clubs must be able to speak honestly about major decisions if Scottish football is serious about raising standards and maintaining trust.

McInnes himself said he had not intended to inflame the situation. “I’ve never wanted to make it personal. For me, the decision was wrong,” he said. “Broadcasters pay a lot of money to hear managers’ reactions. We’ve got to be careful that we don’t have managers and players who have to be really sure of themselves and check themselves before answering a question. At no point was I wanting to inflame a situation. The situation was already being discussed before I did my press. It was quite a big moment in the season and there was a lot of emotion, but I felt as though what I said was controlled.”

Under the revised punishment, the two suspended matches will only be activated if McInnes commits another breach of Disciplinary Rule 72 before the end of the current campaign.

Rangers are out of Europe after a ‘mortifying’ Conference League play-off defeat on penalties to Czech side Jablonec, their worst European exit since the Progres Niederkorn humiliation in 2017.

Rangers, who led 1–0 from the first leg, could not protect their advantage and were eliminated after a penalty shootout loss in the Czech Republic.

Findlay Curtis and James Penrice missed the final two spot-kicks for Rangers, allowing Jablonec to progress when Jan Chramosta converted the decisive penalty.

The result means Rangers will not play European football again this season, the first time they’ve been out of Europe before the end of August since the 2–1 aggregate defeat to Luxembourg’s Progres Niederkorn in the Europa League first qualifying round in 2017.

Story of the match

The first half in the Czech Republic was underwhelming for the visitors. Lamin Jawo missed an early chance to level the tie for Jablonec, while Rangers’ best effort saw Tochi Chukwuani’s close-range header saved.

Derek McInnes made three changes at the break, bringing on Curtis, Lawrence Shankland and Connor Barron, but Jablonec created the better opportunities in the second half and forced Rangers onto the back foot.

The breakthrough came through Vakhtang Tchanturishvili with less than 20 minutes of normal time remaining. He fired in from a tight angle beyond Ivor Pandur to give the hosts a deserved lead on the night and equalising on aggregate.

Rangers tried to work the ball forward after that but their attacks lacked quality. Jablonec carved out chances on the counter and, although the game went to extra-time, the Czech side continued to have the better of the opportunities before penalties decided it.

In the shootout, Shankland, Bojan Miovski and Thelo Aasgaard scored for Rangers, before Filip Zorvan’s effort was saved to give the Ibrox side the advantage. But misses from Curtis and Penrice handed Jablonec the chance to win with the final kick, which Chramosta converted coolly.

The scale of the failure is stark, Rangers have spent around £80 million on player transfers in the past 12 months and after finishing third in the league last season, being knocked out of the Europa League qualifiers earlier in the month, they are now out of Europe completely before the end of August.

Pressure mounts on McInnes after eighth straight qualification failure

The defeat intensifies scrutiny on Derek McInnes after a poor start to his reign at Ibrox, including the Europa League exit against Jagiellonia Bialystok and a draw and defeat in their opening two Premiership games.

Performances under the former Hearts manager have been below par, but this was as bad as it gets and it marks McInnes’ eighth failed attempt to reach a European group stage/league phase across spells at Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and now Rangers.

Up next for Rangers is a tough league trip to Aberdeen on Sunday, with McInnes still searching for his first league win as his side sit ninth, five points behind leaders Celtic, with the pressure mounting as Rangers fans are already calling for his sacking.

Speaking after the match, a visibly distraught McInnes said: “First of all I’m embarrassed with the performance. I think the only people who represented the club well tonight were my support staff and the supporters who, to a man, were outstanding, getting behind the team despite watching what we all watched. It wasn’t a good performance by any stretch of the imagination. It shouldn’t come down to two boys, James Penrice and Findlay Curtis, in tears for missing a penalty kick.

“I’m not going to sit here and make any excuses whatsoever, the performance wasn’t good enough. Yes there’s been a big turnover of players, yes we looked inexperienced at times but the responsibility is mine to make sure we’re better than what we served up tonight. We’re elite in everything we do in terms of preparation and the performance lacked in everything.

“We had worked on trying to build in a five and play on the outside, we wanted to be more progressive when we got into the wider areas. Our press wasn’t good enough, when our press was good and we went man for man we weren’t strong enough in the tackles. I thought the opposition were better than us in most aspects of the game. We got what we deserved.

“If we’d won on penalties we would have taken it, of course, but it would only have covered over the cracks. I’m mortified with the performance. I know you can lose games of football but we should have enough in the building to take care of that tonight.”

John McGinn was desperate to sign for Celtic. He said it himself, plainly and without equivocation. Yet here we are, eight years on, and the midfielder’s boyhood club remains without him, not because Hibs were unreasonable, nor because McGinn didn’t want to join, but because Celtic’s board, in a move that is painfully familiar to any Celtic fan watching the club’s transfer dealings over the past two decades, simply assumed the deal would happen eventually.

The facts, as McGinn recounted them on The Overlap podcast, are straightforward enough. In the summer of 2018, the Aston Villa captain, then at Hibernian, wanted to move to Parkhead. Hibs, for their part, made it clear they would not stand in his way, but they also expected to be paid what they considered his value, somewhere in the region of £2m to £3m.

Celtic bid. They met with Brendan Rodgers. They even telephoned McGinn’s grandfather, the late Jack McGinn, a former Celtic chairman, in what appeared to be an attempt to apply familial pressure. Jack McGinn’s response was characteristically direct - if Celtic had the money [which they did], they should pay it; the rest was not his business.

And then, nothing. The deal dragged on for months. By the time Aston Villa came in, Celtic’s hesitation had created the opening the Birmingham club needed. Villa completed the signing within 24 hours. McGinn, the boy who grew up supporting Celtic, left for the English Premier League instead.

The indicative nature of the board’s approach

What makes this episode so telling is not simply that Celtic missed out on a player they clearly wanted and a move that the player had his heart set on. It is the reasoning that appears to have underpinned their hesitation. McGinn himself identified it, saying: “I think they felt that, because I was a Celtic fan, it would just happen. That nobody else would come, and Hibs would crumble.”

In other words, the board seemed to operate on the assumption that McGinn’s loyalty and his family’s historic ties to the club would eventually force a move. They did not need to move quickly, because no one else would seriously challenge for him. They did not need to meet Hibs’ valuation, because sentiment would do the negotiating for them.

This is not a new pattern. It is, in fact, one of the most consistent features of Celtic’s transfer activity over the years - underbidding early, returning too late, and relying on a player’s emotional connection to the club to bridge the gap.

The cost of sentiment over strategy

The consequences of this approach are not abstract. McGinn has went on to become a Premier League regular and, eventually, Aston Villa captain. Not to mention lifting the Europa League trophy last season. Celtic, meanwhile, missed out on a homegrown, quality box-to-box midfielder who knew the club, the league, and the pressure of the Glasgow derby fixture better than most. A player that even to this day Celtic sorely miss!

McGinn’s own assessment is withering in its simplicity, he added: “They’ve done that with quite a few players. I think if I wasn’t Scottish, if I wasn’t a Celtic fan, if they thought a team would come in, they probably would have just done it.”

There is a deeper irony here, one that McGinn himself acknowledged. His family’s connection to Celtic, which should have been an advantage, may have been the very reason the deal collapsed. The board’s assumption that loyalty would guarantee the outcome appears to have bred complacency.

Even now, as Celtic continue to navigate the transfer market this summer, the same patterns have surfaced. The club’s board appears to believe that a player’s desire to wear the Hoops will eventually force a deal through, even when rival clubs are willing to move quickly and meet valuations.

Rangers have completed the signing of Minsu Kim from Girona in a deal worth £8.5m, adding further firepower to Derek McInnes’s squad as the September transfer deadline approaches.

The 20-year-old South Korean international has committed to an initial four-year deal at Ibrox, with the club holding an option to extend by a further 12 months.

Kim becomes Rangers’ 12th summer signing, ahead of striker Kevin Kelsy expected to follow before the transfer window closes next week, after the Glasgow side agreed a £9.2m deal with Portland Timbers for the Venezuelan striker.

Although not included in Rangers’ Conference League squad for tonight’s play-off second leg against Jablonec, Kim could make his domestic debut in Sunday’s trip to Aberdeen.

From La Liga breakthrough to Ibrox

Kim joined Girona in 2022 and, after impressing with the B team, made his La Liga debut in October 2024 before featuring in the Champions League the following month. Last season, he went on loan to FC Andorra in Spain’s second tier, where he scored six goals and provided four assists.

After the announcement, Kim said: “I’m so happy to sign for Rangers. I know it’s a big club with great, great fans.

“I want to help the team to be better every day, to be a good person, and to do everything I can to help the team win everything that comes our way.

“I have a lot of excitement and I believe I have the mentality of a winner. I want to face whatever comes next head-on and I’m going to give the club what it deserves.”

Rangers manager Derek McInnes, added: “We are delighted to welcome Minsu to Rangers. Strengthening our options in the forward areas has been a real target and focus for us throughout this window, and we believe he will add another exciting dimension to the squad.

“Minsu is a talented young player with excellent technical ability, energy and a real desire to develop, and we are looking forward to working with him.”

The signing of Minsu takes Rangers’ transfer spending to around £80 million over the past 12 months, as they look to wrestle the Scottish Premiership title away from Celtic Park.

This article was first published on Scotzine back in 2011.

He was the first high-profile footballer of the modern era to cross the Old Firm divide at a time when playing for both the blue and green halves of Glasgow was considered unthinkable.

Thirty years on from carving his name into the annals of arguably the most hostile rivalry in European football, Alfie Conn Jr is reluctant to dredge up the past, but he firmly rejects any suggestion that he was a brave pioneer.

“For me it was always just a job,” Conn recalls. “I try not to discuss it too much because the dust has settled over the years. I don’t consider myself brave at all. I had a wife and family to support and a mortgage to pay.”

Lingering Animosity

Yet the hostility hasn’t entirely faded. Conn recently walked into a bar with friends and struck up conversation with a couple who seemed friendly enough. They chatted all night, even sharing drinks. But when Conn and his companions got up to leave, the man refused to shake his hand and called him a “turncoat bastard.”

That’s the level of animosity that still exists - not just toward Conn, but toward any player who has crossed the Old Firm divide. None more so than Maurice Johnston.

From Ibrox to Parkhead

Conn spent eight years playing in the blue of Rangers before moving to Tottenham Hotspur, where he earned cult status among the White Hart Lane faithful. That’s when Celtic manager Jock Stein came calling.

“He was one of those managers I always wanted to play under,” Conn explains. “Rangers hadn’t come back in for me and I thought I could still learn a lot. So when Stein asked me, I didn’t hesitate.”

Returning north of the border, he knew it would be confrontational, but not to the extent it proved to be.

“Several people warned me against it, but it was only after I signed, when I flew back into Glasgow with all the press and TV, that I realised it was bigger than I first thought. That’s when it hit home. It wasn’t easy hearing the same fans who used to cheer for me throwing insults, but at least it kept the city talking.”

Allegiances and Old Firm Days

Like everyone connected with the Old Firm, Conn keeps a keen eye on proceedings. He still returns to Ibrox four or five times a season, which offers some indication of where his allegiances lie. But there’s one match he won’t attend in person, the Old Firm derby.

“I think everyone knows I was a Rangers supporter when I was a boy. It’s just one of the games I don’t go to. It still plays on my mind seeing both sets of supporters together. I prefer to watch it on the TV.”

Would He Recommend It?

Although other players have since made the switch from blue to green or vice versa -Kenny Miller, Steven Pressley, and Mark Brown among them - Conn wouldn’t necessarily recommend it.

“It depends on the individual and how they handle pressure. If you go from one to the other, you’ve got to be prepared to take a lot of abuse. But I have loads of friends who support Celtic as well as Rangers, believe me. I moved on a long time ago.”