Aston Villa target Nicolas Raskin as Celtic manager adjusts tactics and Hearts duo return

Image source, The Courier

• Published4 minutes ago

Aston Villa remain admirers of Nicolas Raskin, with those close to the Belgium midfielder believing the Premier League is his likely destination next year despite Rangers turning down a £12m offer from Hull City this summer. (TeamTalk, external)

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill will revert to a back four against Motherwell on Sunday as the back three adopted in their latest Old Firm derby was merely to try to match Rangers’ shape in a one-off game. (Football Insider, external)

Sweden team manager Kim Kallstrom has defended their squad workings after Celtic midfielder Benjamin Nygren was one of five players sent home from their camp after a sickness bug. (Herald – subscription required, external)

Nigeria striker Kelechi Iheanacho insists he moved to a tough league after rejecting a new deal with Celtic to join Bursaspor, who are joint top of the Turkish second tier and for whom he has scored 11 goals and provided two assists in just eight matches. (Glasgow Times, external)

Heart of Midlothian’s 18-year-old summer signings – former Vikingur Gota forward Aron Benjaminsen and former Grasshopper Zurich midfielder Leart Kabashi – will begin challenging for competitive game time once the international break ends. (Edinburgh Evening News – subscription required, external)

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Meanwhile, Hearts duo Malachi Fagan-Walcott and Oisin McEntee will be fit to return to action against St Mirren this weekend after injury. (Edinburgh Evening News – subscription required, external)

Hearts’ upcoming Conference League opponents, Nordsjaelland, lost 3-0 in a friendly against Malmo as they prepare to return to league action against Odense on Friday. (Edinburgh Evening News – subscription required, external)

Dundee head coach Steven Pressley is casting his eye over a couple of trialists as he considers strengthening his injury-hit squad. (Record – subscription required, external)

St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari stands by his decision to allow Jack Baird to join Raith Rovers despite Zach Mitchell’s injury, which ended the 21-year-old’s loan from Charlton Athletic, leaving the Perth side short of defensive cover. (Courier – subscription required, external)

The Scottish FA has appointed former Hibernian sporting director and Ayr United managing director Graeme Mathie as head of football strategy, operations and eprformance. (National – subscription required, external)