As transfer rumors heat up ahead of the 2024–25 season, the most recent rumors surrounding the Old Firm’s Celtic and Rangers suggest that they may part ways with big-name players.
The start of the new William Hill Scottish Premiership season is in less than two weeks, and while player departures are now a hot subject, it is unclear how both Old Firm teams will lineup in their opening games.
When Celtic play Kilmarnock on Sunday, August 4, would their top player Matt O’Riley still be present for the flag-raising ceremony to commemorate their title victory from the previous season?
That will depend on whether any of the players’ increasing number of admirers are willing to pay Celtic’s record transfer cost, as they have rejected Atalanta’s second attempt for the highly sought-after midfield star.
The Serie A team’s first attempt to sign the 23-year-old on Sunday was unsuccessful, and Parkhead management have now rejected an enhanced £14.3 million offer with add-ons.
The two teams are rumored to have different valuations, with Celtic apparently setting the bar at £25 million.
However, negotiations are still ongoing, as the Italian team is eager to sign the Denmark international before Atletico Madrid and Juventus, among other interested parties.
On Saturday, August 3, Rangers will begin their title defense against Hearts, and it is seeming less and less probable that two of their key players from previous campaigns will be present for the first day of play at Tynecastle Park.
Club captain James Tavernier is being heavily linked with a move to Turkey new while defender and vice-captain Connor Goldson has reportedly travelled to Cyprus to undergo a medical ahead of a proposed move to Aris Limassol.
Goldson, 31, looks set to bring the curtain down on his six-year stint at Ibrox this summer with manager Philippe Clement prepared to allow one of the club’s biggest wage earners to depart in order to free up funds for further new arrivals.
The centre-back has made more than 300 appearances for Rangers and, with two years left on his contract, will command a reasonable transfer fee.
Goldson could be joined out the Ibrox exit door by his defensive side-kick Tavernier, who was the subject of a failed bid from Trabsonzspor at the end of last week.
Besiktas, who named former Gers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst their new head coach last month, is reportedly planning an improved offer for the English right-back. Trabsonzspor is also reportedly prepared to enter the competition.
The preseason match between Rangers and Manchester United at Murrayfield on Saturday was skipped by Tavernier, who turns 33 in October.
However, assistant manager Alex Rae stated there was “nothing to report” regarding an impending departure.
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