David Irvine

FK Jablonec beat RFS 2-0 at home in the first leg of their Europa Conference League third-round qualifier, giving the Czech side the advantage in a tie whose winner could meet Rangers in the play-offs. Rangers may drop into the Conference League if they cannot overturn a 2-1 deficit against Jagiellonia Białystok in their Europa League return leg at Ibrox. Vakhtang Chanturishvili opened the scoring for Jablonec and Matej Polidar added a second shortly after half-time; the tie will conclude in Riga, Latvia.

Former Rangers defender Leon Balogun has joined Hungarian club ETO FC at age 38 after leaving Cyprus' Aris Limassol. ETO, the reigning Hungarian champions and early league leaders, will be managed by former Celtic player Efraín Juárez. Balogun said he was excited by the club's project and eager to contribute his experience, while ETO highlighted his Premier League, Bundesliga and Scottish football background, including league, Scottish Cup and League Cup successes with Rangers.

Chris Sutton identifies a potential transfer sale of Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston as his biggest concern for the club. With Everton reportedly in contact over the Canadian defender, Sutton argues that Celtic should demand a fee comparable to the £25 million Arsenal paid for Kieran Tierney. He also criticizes Celtic for selling Daizen Maeda for about £10 million before a Champions League qualifier, saying the decision could damage the club's sporting and financial prospects.

Sevilla have reportedly made a formal proposal to Swedish club Sirius for former Rangers striker Robbie Ure. The 22-year-old Scottish forward has scored 15 goals in 15 league matches, attracting interest from several European clubs, including Galatasaray. Sirius are expected to demand at least £8.5 million, while Ure said he is interested in moving to a bigger league and club if the timing works for all parties.

Former Celtic midfielder John Collins says the club should retain Arne Engels and Alistair Johnston until after the Champions League play-off against LASK, unless suitable replacements are already secured. West Ham United are pursuing Engels and Everton are interested in Johnston, while Nottingham Forest previously made offers for the Belgian midfielder. Collins argues that Celtic's recruitment last season was inadequate after key attackers departed and urges further additions across midfield, the wings and central defence. Celtic have signed forwards Kasper Hogh and Camilo Duran but have made only two summer additions so far.

Rangers defender Olwethu Makhanya has secured a last-minute visa to travel to Poland and play in the Europa League qualifier against Jagiellonia Białystok. Glasgow South West Labour MP Zubir Ahmed helped obtain the clearance. The decision provides relief for manager Derek McInnes, who is dealing with defensive problems after Ben Godfrey suffered a hamstring injury and Ross McCrorie continued to manage a knee complaint.

Celtic's record signing Kasper Høgh said he must adapt to playing on grass after making his debut in the club's 1-0 win over Dundee. The former Bodø/Glimt striker missed several chances and acknowledged the need for shooting practice, while praising Celtic's supporters. Manager Martin O'Neill dismissed the playing surface as an excuse and backed Høgh to improve.

Rangers would face either Jablonec of the Czech Republic or Latvia's RFS in the Europa Conference League play-off round if they lose their Europa League third qualifying-round tie against Jagiellonia Białystok. The first leg would be at Ibrox on August 20, followed by the away leg on August 27.

Celtic have reportedly had an opening bid of around £6 million for Algerian winger Fares Ghedjemis rejected by Frosinone. The Italian club want to retain the 23-year-old after his 15-goal, three-assist season helped them secure promotion to Serie A, but Celtic are continuing negotiations. Ghedjemis, previously targeted by Celtic in January, has emerged as an alternative while talks for Real Oviedo winger Haissem Hassan have stalled. Celtic boss Martin O'Neill confirmed the club has a strong interest in signing him.

Rangers could face one of seven pairings in the Europa League play-off round if they overcome Jagiellonia Bialystok, including potential ties involving Larne, Lillestrom or Kairat Almaty. If Rangers lose that tie, they would enter the Conference League play-off draw, where ten possible pairings include opponents such as FC Noah, SK Brann and FK Zalgris. Both draws are scheduled for Monday, with Rangers seeded in each draw.

Cammy Devlin has changed his Rangers shirt number from 17, worn during pre-season, to 14 for the Scottish Premiership opener against Dundee United. The switch appears linked to Nedim Bajrami’s expected move to Saudi club Al-Taawoun, which would free up the number Devlin previously wore at Hearts. Bajrami is reportedly outside Derek McInnes’ plans and could leave on an initial loan with a £2.5 million future fee.

Former Rangers defender Connor Goldson is recovering at home after undergoing 13 hours of open-heart surgery for the second time. He has resumed walking and cycling and thanked his family and supporters for helping him through the recovery. Goldson also shared a supportive letter from Rangers chief executive Jim Gillespie, who praised his courage and resilience and wished him a full recovery.

Kelechi Iheanacho thanked Celtic, manager Brendan Rodgers, teammate Martin O'Neill and the club's supporters after leaving Glasgow. The striker helped Celtic win the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup during his season at the club before moving to Turkish side Bursaspor. Celtic did not activate an option to extend his contract, with Martin O'Neill saying the option had expired and that Iheanacho had chosen to move elsewhere.

Rangers are progressing talks with Philadelphia Union over the potential signing of South African centre-back Olwethu Makhanya. A fee of about £3 million and a four-year contract are reportedly under discussion, which would make him Rangers’ eighth summer signing. Manager Derek McInnes said the squad remains short of defensive options and indicated that the club hopes to complete another acquisition before the weekend.

The Premier Sports Cup second-round draw is scheduled to take place after St Mirren’s group-stage match against Dunfermline in Paisley, with the draw expected at around 4:45pm. It will be broadcast live on Premier Sports 1 and the Premier Player. Sixteen teams will participate, including Celtic, Hearts, Rangers, Motherwell and Hibernian, which enter at this stage because of European competition, alongside teams progressing from the group stage and the three best runners-up. Second-round ties are scheduled for the weekend of August 15–16.

Martin O'Neill says Celtic are making progress toward signing Bodø/Glimt forward Kasper Høgh in a deal reportedly worth more than £11 million, with the player expected to undergo a medical within 24 hours. O'Neill declines to confirm whether Celtic will bid for Paderborn midfielder Mika Baur, saying the club has several other potential deals in the pipeline.

Daizen Maeda has completed a transfer from Celtic to Ipswich Town in a deal reportedly worth up to £10 million. After four and a half years at Celtic, during which he won ten major honours and scored 79 goals in 212 appearances, the Japanese forward thanked the club, supporters, staff and Glasgow community. Maeda described his Celtic tenure as the most special chapter of his career and said Glasgow would remain a second home for his family.

James Tavernier is reportedly in talks with MLS club Charlotte FC over a free transfer after leaving Rangers following the 2025/26 campaign. Charlotte manager Dean Smith is said to be keen on the former Rangers captain, who also has interest from clubs in France and Italy. Tavernier departed after a dispute involving manager Danny Rohl over his role in his final home match, and said poor communication left him and his family hurt and disappointed.

Jermain Defoe has mutually agreed to leave his position as Woking manager after only six competitive matches, recording two wins, three draws and one defeat. Appointed in March, the former Rangers striker departed less than four months later, shortly before a friendly against Reading and the start of the new season. Defoe said circumstances made it impossible to continue, while expressing pride in the work completed and gratitude to Woking’s supporters, players and staff.

Serbian midfielder Vanja Dragojevic has signed a four-year deal with Rangers, with an option for an additional season, after becoming convinced by a conversation with manager Derek McInnes. Formerly captain of Partizan, Dragojevic said Rangers' winning mentality suited him and that the move would support his development. His transfer was celebrated by his family with a Rangers-themed cake and shirt, creating an emotional occasion.

Rangers will host West Ham at Ibrox in their final pre-season friendly before opening the new season against Dundee United. The match is scheduled for Sunday, July 26, with a 4 p.m. kick-off and no live television broadcast; it will instead be available through Rangers TV. New signing Vanja Dragojevic could make his first appearance, while manager Derek McInnes expects further squad additions. Rangers enter the match after a 2–1 win over St-Etienne and a series of other pre-season fixtures.

Rangers secured a 2-1 friendly win over St Etienne in Derek McInnes’ first home match as manager, with goals from Lawrence Shankland and Thelo Aasgaard, both from penalties. St Etienne equalised through Jakob Breum before Aasgaard’s late spot-kick sealed the result. Several new Rangers signings featured as the team continued preparations for the upcoming Premiership season.

Elijah Just has joined Swansea City from Motherwell on a three-year contract in a record-breaking transfer for the Scottish club, reportedly worth around £6 million. The New Zealand international’s strong performances in the Scottish Premiership and at the World Cup elevated his value. Motherwell CEO Brian Caldwell praised Just and highlighted the move as part of the club’s successful transfer strategy, noting it is their second record sale within a year and one of several player departures during the current window, alongside ongoing efforts to strengthen the squad.

Rangers will appeal the four‑match ban imposed on manager Derek McInnes for comments made about a contentious VAR penalty awarded to Celtic while he was Hearts manager. The club argues his statements did not impugn officials’ integrity and cites inconsistent disciplinary precedents. The Scottish FA deemed the breach of Rule 72 proved, issuing a three‑match immediate suspension and one suspended. McInnes had criticised the VAR call as “disgusting,” prompting the citation.

Rangers are expected to receive an away allocation of up to 1,027 tickets for their Europa League qualifying match against Jagiellonia Bialystok at Stadion Miejski, with fixture dates subject to change and no official club travel option offered. A win would move Rangers into the play-off round, while a loss would drop them into the Conference League play-offs.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s delayed return to Celtic’s pre-season preparations resulted from his wedding and honeymoon, according to manager Martin O'Neill. After signing a one-year extension, the midfielder missed the Ireland trip but rejoined the squad in Portugal and starts against Middlesbrough. O'Neill also highlighted the importance of pre-season for Cameron Carter-Vickers following injury setbacks and expressed optimism about new signing Camilo Duran building on his promising debut performance.

Rangers recovered from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Johor Darul Ta'zim in a pre-season match in Spain, with Tochi Chukwuani scoring twice after the team conceded from a back-post finish and a defensive error. Squad rotations featured several substitutions, and Rangers now return to Scotland for upcoming friendlies against Saint-Etienne and West Ham.

Eighteen‑year‑old Rangers midfielder Alexander Smith has joined East Kilbride on a season‑long loan after scoring four goals in eight appearances during a previous spell at Dumbarton. The move takes him from League Two to League One for the upcoming season, with both clubs confirming the deal and praising his impact and potential.

Celtic prepares for its first home pre-season friendly against Middlesbrough, with details provided on kick‑off time, broadcast availability and live streaming through Celtic Player. Recent friendly results include a draw with Shelbourne and a loss to Sporting CP, highlighted by goals from Shin Yamada and new signing Camilo Duran. Martin O'Neill expressed optimism about Duran’s impact as the club continues its build‑up to the new season.

Celtic are reported to be monitoring Utrecht winger Adrian Blake, valued at £2.5 million, with Wolves and Burnley also expressing interest. Blake, under contract for another year and a scorer against Celtic in the Europa League, is said to be on the Scottish champions’ list of summer targets, though no formal move has been made.

John Souttar and Danilo did not travel with Rangers to their pre-season camp in Spain as both are expected to leave the club. Souttar, recently back from international duty, is anticipated to depart despite signing a one-year extension, while Danilo is likely to move after returning from a loan in the Netherlands. Rangers have added Ben Godfrey in defence and are considered well stocked in attacking options, prompting openness to moves for both players.

Rangers completed a £16 million share issue fully subscribed by existing shareholders and scheduled a shareholder meeting for August 10 in Glasgow to provide updates and address questions about the club’s progress and future plans.

Pierce Charles, previously a Rangers transfer target during Russell Martin’s tenure, has signed a five‑year contract with Manchester City in a deal worth £3 million with potential add‑ons exceeding £10 million. The 20‑year‑old goalkeeper immediately joins Queens Park Rangers on loan for the season. Charles, who came through City’s academy before playing for Sheffield Wednesday, expressed enthusiasm about returning, while City’s director of football praised his development and potential.

New legislation will expand Football Banning Orders in Scotland to address pyrotechnics, pitch invasions and missile-throwing following a consultation involving football authorities and police. Ministers argue the strengthened powers are needed to improve safety, while most fans expressing views in the consultation opposed extending FBO use. Football governing bodies support the measures, which aim to prevent dangerous behaviour by a minority of supporters.

Betting odds have shifted sharply toward Roberto Martinez becoming the next Scotland manager following his departure as Portugal’s national coach, with Oddschecker reporting that 73% of recent bets back him at 2/1. The vacancy follows Steve Clarke’s exit after Scotland’s World Cup group-stage elimination. Other candidates include John McGlynn, David Moyes, Alex Neil, Steven Naismith, and Darren Fletcher, though none currently match Martinez’s momentum.

Daniel Church, a former Celtic youth defender who also played for several Scottish clubs, has retired at age 25 after recurring injuries made continuing impossible. He reflected on the difficulty of the decision and expressed gratitude for his experiences in football.

Rangers scheduled a pre-season friendly against Saint-Étienne at Ibrox on July 22, marking Derek McInnes’s first home match in charge, followed by a match against West Ham four days later before the start of the Scottish Premiership season. Saint-Étienne’s visit brings Ian Cathro back to Scotland as head coach, and the fixture recalls past European meetings between the clubs in 1957 and 1975, including a commemorative bicycle gifted during the 1975 visit.

Borussia Dortmund have joined multiple UK and European clubs expressing interest in signing Mikey Moore on loan after his successful spell at Rangers. Tottenham are unwilling to sell the 18‑year‑old permanently, and any loan move may depend on Roberto de Zerbi’s plans for pre‑season. Former Rangers manager Danny Rohl publicly stated his desire to bring Moore back, emphasising the player’s fit and development potential. Moore recently thanked Rangers in an emotional farewell message after his loan concluded.