Transfer News: Crystal Palace Chase Young Scottish Talent
Crystal Palace are reportedly eyeing up 18-year-old Queen’s Park attacking midfielder Aiden McGinlay, according to the Daily Record. The Scottish teenager has been impressing scouts with his performances for Queen’s Park, and it seems that Crystal Palace are keen to bring him to Selhurst Park.
In other transfer news, Everton are close to agreeing a deal for Hearts defender John Dodds, the 16-year-old who has been watched by several clubs in Scotland and England. The young defender has been tipped for a bright future, and it seems that Everton are ready to make a move for him. This information comes courtesy of the Edinburgh Evening News.
Meanwhile, Brentford manager Thomas Frank has given an update on the fitness of Scotland defender Aaron Hickey, who has been out for 20 months with a hamstring injury that required two operations. Hickey has made some appearances for Brentford’s B-team, and Frank believes that he could make a first-team comeback before the end of the season. This news was reported by The Scotsman.
St Johnstone striker Uche Ikpeazu has spoken about his long and arduous journey back to fitness after a near season-long absence. The 30-year-old made a 15-minute cameo appearance in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Celtic, and he revealed that it was not until after a fifth operation on his knee that he started to see light at the end of the tunnel. This was reported by The Courier.
In a related story, Celtic have banked £16m more from European performance payments this season than Rangers, who made it to the quarter-finals of the Europa League. This huge disparity in earnings highlights the different levels of success enjoyed by the two Glasgow giants in European competition. According to The National, Celtic’s earnings from European performance payments were significantly higher than those of Rangers.
Athletic Bilbao’s victory over Rangers in the Europa League last week could have a significant impact on the Ibrox club’s chances of qualifying for the Champions League next season. If Athletic Bilbao go on to lift the trophy this season, they could help Rangers qualify for a later stage of the Champions League. This scenario was outlined in a report by The Herald.
In other news, Leeds United’s confirmed promotion to the Premier League has removed a potential barrier to Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises’ takeover of Rangers. Premier League rules over joint ownership are less restrictive than those in the English Football League, which could pave the way for a smoother takeover. This information comes from the Scottish Sun.
Finally, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has written to Sarah Cardell, the chief executive of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), urging her to investigate "exploitative practices" in youth football. The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland and youth organisation Real Grassroots have lodged complaints about the Scottish Football Association and Scottish Professional Football League, which has prompted Sarwar to call for an investigation. This story was reported by The National.
As the summer transfer window approaches, it seems that several Scottish clubs will be busy making moves to strengthen their squads. With Celtic and Rangers preparing for next season’s European campaigns, and other clubs looking to build on their successes, there is sure to be plenty of action in the world of Scottish football.
According to reporting from the BBC, several transfers are being reported to be in the pipeline, and we will be keeping a close eye on all the developments in the coming weeks and months. Stay tuned for further updates on these stories.
