As the international break comes to an end, both sides of Glasgow’s Old Firm return to domestic focus amid a wave of fresh developments.
Rangers have been hit with a pair of worrying injury issues, while across the city, managerial favourite Wilfried Nancy is reportedly lining up one of his Columbus Crew stars for a move to Celtic should he become the club’s next manager.
Celtic move closer to appointing Nancy — and transfer talk begins
Wilfried Nancy has now emerged as the clear frontrunner for the Celtic job, with talks understood to have reached the “advanced negotiations” stage. After weeks of searching, Dermot Desmond and the Celtic hierarchy finally appear to have settled on the Frenchman as the successor to Brendan Rodgers.
With Nancy’s appointment seemingly imminent, Celtic have already been linked with one of the players who has shone under his leadership in MLS. Reports claim that the Hoops could move for a Columbus Crew forward who has flourished in Nancy’s system, adding spark to speculation that the new boss may waste no time reshaping the Parkhead squad.
Rangers prepare for SPFL return but face a defensive crisis
Back at Ibrox, Danny Rohl aims to continue building on a strong run of league form when Rangers host Livingston on Saturday. His side sits five points behind Celtic and trails early pacesetters Hearts by 12, though they do hold a game in hand.
But optimism has been dampened by a double dose of bad injury news during the break. Two of Rohl’s most reliable defenders—John Souttar and Derek Cornelius—have returned from international duty with fitness concerns, creating an unwelcome setback ahead of the Premiership restart.
Souttar and Cornelius pick up knocks on international duty
John Souttar, who has featured regularly under Rohl, played in Scotland’s 3–2 defeat to Greece last weekend and was named in Steve Clarke’s starting XI for the decisive clash against Denmark. But the night took a turn during the warm-up when he suffered a knock that forced him out of the lineup, with Grant Hanley stepping in. Scotland eventually sealed an emotional 4–2 victory, booking their place at a first World Cup in nearly three decades — but Souttar’s condition will now be monitored closely by Rangers.
Adding to Rohl’s problems, Derek Cornelius was also forced off during Canada’s 2–0 friendly triumph over Venezuela after sustaining what appeared to be a muscle injury. Given the Marseille loanee’s usefulness across the back line — having played both centre-back and left-back this season — any extended absence would be a significant blow for the Ibrox boss.
Nancy’s MLS star tipped to follow him to Parkhead
Meanwhile, Celtic could soon be working under Wilfried Nancy, and transfer rumours are already beginning to swirl. One name linked is Columbus Crew striker Diego Rossi, whom Nancy has often praised for his relentless work rate and professionalism.
Rossi, 27, enjoyed an impressive campaign last season, scoring 16 goals and providing five assists in MLS. His potential arrival makes sense for Celtic, who are short of depth up front after losing Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah in previous windows. Adding to their attacking challenges, Daizen Maeda also appears destined for an exit in January after handing in a transfer request during the summer.
Nancy has described Rossi as having the strongest work ethic of anyone in his squad, highlighting the forward’s energy and determination — qualities that would appeal at Celtic Park. Rossi also brings European experience, having spent time with Fenerbahce before moving to the United States.
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