CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers has suggested that Celtic will need to spend a significant sum of money in order to strengthen their squad with a top class right back. "We have an international right-back [Lustig], an international back-up [Gamboa] and a young international [Ralston] who has been playing as cover," Rodgers said. "It’s not rocket science if you want to improve in that position or any other position. It’s not always about spending money, but in some positions..."

HJK Helsinki boss Mika Lehkosuo has backed Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos to go to the 'very top' of the game. "Alfredo is ready for bigger things if he wants them. It depends on what he wants to do, but he is ready. He could play in England but it is up to him what he wants to do," said Lehkosuo.

Rangers winger Glenn Middleton hopes that the influence of new team-mate Jermain Defoe will help him take his game to the next level at Ibrox. "I have been watching him in training and seeing his little movements when he receives the ball, before he gets a shot on goal. I can’t fail to learn from a guy like that," revealed Middleton.

And Middleton is confident that his side will pick up where they left off before the winter break. Middleton said: "As much as it was frustrating the break was good for us because it was crazy with the fixtures before that. We want to kick on and get back to what we were doing before the break."

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed that the Parkhead side's expensive hybrid surface has a "slight disease" on it. "It is something unfortunate, nothing that the ground staff could have done," said Rodgers.

And Rodgers says that he knew that defender Kieran Tierney was really struggling with an injury during training last month because the 21-year-old normally plays through the pain barrier. Rodgers said: "You know when he is in pain and he really is in pain. You could see in training he was pushing and giving everything, but he wasn’t quite right."

Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke has warned his defenders to be wary of Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos when the two teams meet at Rugby Park tonight. "I think recent games and incidents have shown that Morelos can handle himself and, if he is looking after himself, my players need to be careful," said Clarke.

And Kilmarnock defender Stuart Findlay says his run of goalscoring form this season has came as a surprise, even to himself. "We were having a laugh during the week because, not only do I not normally score in games, I don’t usually hit the target in training, either," admitted Findlay.

The Rangers Youth Development Company have handed over £400,000 to the Academy at the Hummel Training Centre as supporters invest in the next generation of youth prospects at the club. "I would like to thank the Rangers supporters, whose contribution allows us to undertake our exciting and ambitious plans for the Academy," said Head of Academy Craig Mulholland. "Together I am confident we can achieve something special."

New Livingston signing Chris Erskine says that he is delighted to have joined the West Lothian club but admits that he will always be a Partick Thistle supporter. "Of course it was a wrench to leave," admitted Erskine. "Thistle is my club and it always will be my club. I was there for seven years on and off and it was difficult to leave."

Rangers' Portuguese winger Daniel Candeias is confident Alfredo Morelos and Jermain Defoe will click at the head of the Rangers attack after playing alongside each other for the first time on Sunday. "Of course, with both Morelos and Defoe we can have more people in the box to score from balls into that area. It’s important for the team," said Candeias.

Steven Gerrard has laughed off suggestions that Rangers kit man Jimmy Bell was the driving force behind the postponement of their Scottish Cup tie with Cowdenbeath on Friday night. "I don't think Jimmy had anything to do with it but he does like getting his picture in the paper so that might be what he's tried to do," revealed Gerrard.

Former Motherwell and Celtic winger has reminisced over his time playing in Scotland and the injuries that cut short his career. "I try not to look back at it," he said. "What happened, happened. If I didn’t get the injuries, then who knows? But I did, and you can’t change that."

In rugby, Scotland assistant coach Mike Blair has acknowledged that the national team's best chance of success will have to merge the two playing styles of Glasgow and Edinburgh. Blair said: "Edinburgh and Glasgow have varying styles so with Scotland we’re in a great situation that we can pull a bit from each team and try to find that perfect blend of play that suits our players."

In tennis, Jamie Murray has hit out at his Davis Cup team-mate Dan Evans, describing the latter's comments that doubles players "didn’t work hard enough to have a singles career" as "dumb, ignorant and lazy". "To question the reason that we are on the doubles tour is because we don't work as hard as the singles guys is just total nonsense," said Murray.

Ian Murray has told the Daily Record that Jordan Jones' controversial celebration of sealing a Rangers pre-contract has piled pressure on the winger.

The Scottish Sun are reporting that Cardiff City have made a £2 million bid for Celtic target Josh Maja.

French side Nice are considering tabling an £8 million bid for Rangers' Alfredo Morelos, according to the Scotsman.

And Ross County striker Declan McManus has told the Press and Journal that his side are up for a title tilt after dumping Motherwell out of the Scottish Cup.