Scottish transfer news, including the latest rumours from Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen and Dundee United this Tuesday afternoon
A round-up of the latest Scottish football transfer rumours, stories and gossip, including the latest news from Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen and Dundee United.
Luca Stephenson is set to re-join Dundee United this month.placeholder image
Luca Stephenson is set to re-join Dundee United this month. | SNS Group
Liverpool ‘decide move’ for youngster
Liverpool are ready to allow Luca Stephenson to re-join Dundee United this summer, after he was left out of the squad for Sunday’s Community Shield shootout defeat to Crystal Palace. The 21-year-old spent last season on loan at Tannadice, playing 31 times in the Scottish Premiership as Jim Goodwin’s side qualified for a spot in the Conference League qualifiers with a fourth-placed finish.
Stephenson, who won the club’s Young Player of the Season award last year, is now closing in on a return to Tannadice, with The Athletic‘s James Pearce claiming Arne Slot has sanctioned another season-long loan move for the Sunderland-born midfielder. However, there is understood to be no option to make the deal permanent for the youngster, with the Anfield giants set to agree a new long-term contract with Stephenson, who entered the final year of his current deal last month. Swansea City, Reading and Rotherham United are all said to have explored a loan deal for the player, while Aberdeen had been linked with a permanent bid, but it is Dundee United who look to have won the battle for his signature.
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin is closing in on the signing of Kenan Bilalovic this summer.placeholder image
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin is closing in on the signing of Kenan Bilalovic this summer. | SNS Group
Aberdeen ‘agree deal’
Aberdeen head coach Jimmy Thelin is closing in on the signing of Swedish winger Kenan Bilalovic after the club agreed a fee of £500,000 with Varnamo for the youngster. According to Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph, the 20-year-old is due to arrive in Scotland in the coming days to undergo a medical and complete the paperwork that will see him agree a permanent move to Pittodrie.
Bilalovic has represented Sweden at both the under-18 level, where he debuted in a 1-0 win against Wales back in 2023, before progressing to the under-19 squad more recently after breaking into the Varnamo first-team, playing in 17 league games and scoring one goal. He also spent time on loan at Skövde AIK in the Swedish second-tier in 2024, playing eight times.
Michel Ange-Balikwisha remains a target for Celtic.placeholder image
Michel Ange-Balikwisha remains a target for Celtic. | Belga/AFP via Getty Images
Celtic winger update
Long-term Celtic target Michel Ange-Balikwisha has ‘made it clear’ he will not be extending his new deal with Royal Antwerp, which expires next summer, reigniting hope that the Scottish champions will be able to bring him to Glasgow before the transfer window slams shut on September 1.
However, Belgian outlet HLN claim that while Brendan Rodgers’ side have shown the strongest interest in the Belgian winger, they have yet to make an offer that is deemed acceptable. It is reported that Antwerp want to get back as much of the £4.7million transfer fee they shelled out on Ange-Balikwisha when he arrived from Standard Liege back in 2021. However, with the player’s contract expiring next summer, the Belgian Pro League side is running the risk of losing him on a free transfer.
Elsewhere, ex-Celtic title winner Dedryck Boyata has announced his retirement after a 16-year professional career. The former Belgian international won four Scottish Premiership titles, two Scottish Cups and two Scottish League Cups during his four-season stay at the Hoops.
Gio Reyna has been encouraged join Rangers this summer.placeholder image
Gio Reyna has been encouraged join Rangers this summer. | Getty Images
32-cap star given Rangers encouragement
Borussia Dortmund star Gio Reyna has been encouraged to follow in his father Claudio’s footsteps by making a sensational move to Rangers this summer. The 32-cap American exploded onto the scene under former head coach Edin Terzić during the 2022/23 campaign, but has found game time hard to come by at the Signal Iduna in the last two campaigns, and looks to have dropped down the pecking order at the Bundesliga giants.
However, former USA international Freddy Adu believes that a summer switch to Ibrox could reignite the attacking midfielder’s career, saying: “You don't get better by sitting on the bench. I mean, you can train all you want, but your game gets to that next level by getting a lot of game time. That just goes for everybody. So if he gets a chance to go to a team like Rangers, I think it'll benefit him tremendously.
“I do think that he's good enough to go to Rangers and become a regular starter on that team,” he told Best Sportsbook Software. “Once he gets a chance to be a regular starter and not always looking over his shoulder if he makes a mistake, if he doesn't do well, he’s gonna be right back on the bench, etc. You can’t operate, nobody wants to deal with that.”