Scottish Premiership transfer news: What will your club do this summer?

With the Scottish Premiership transfer window open, we’re set for a busy summer up and down the country.

Celtic will be looking to build on a title-winning season under Brendan Rodgers, while Philippe Clement faces a huge rebuild at Rangers as they bid to catch their rivals.

Elsewhere, Hearts have another season in Europe ahead alongside Kilmarnock and St Mirren, and could be busy in a bid to compete on both the domestic and European front.

Meanwhile, new faces in the dugout at Hibernian and Aberdeen could mean change at two clubs who will be bidding for a top-six return next season.

Here’s a look at what every club needs during this summer transfer window…

Aberdeen

Following a bottom-six finish and the departure of two managers – many Dons fans will believe the only way is up under new boss Jimmy Thelin who arrived this month.

While the new man will be looking to bring in fresh faces – perhaps some of the best business he could do over the coming months is retain some faces that are already familiar at Pittodrie.

Striker Bojan Miovski scored 16 goals last season and will be in demand, while in defence the club should look at how to lure Stefan Gartenmann back after his loan from Midtjylland came to an end.

Some players are out of contract too, such as Junior Hoilett who joined on a short-term deal under Neil Warnock. However, the winger is keen on remaining at the Dons so could a deal be struck?

The fans will want to return to the battle for Europe and challenge for domestic silverware – summer recruitment will be key in helping deliver that.

Celtic

Brendan Rodgers will be hoping to keep hold of most of his prized assets but Matt O’Riley, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Reo Hatate are all being monitored by a number of clubs in the English Premier League and across Europe.

The Hoops knocked back a bid of around £20m from Atletico Madrid for O’Riley in January. After a sensational season, it is looking more likely that the Denmark international – who signed a new four-year deal last year – will leave this summer, but Celtic are looking for a club record fee.

In terms of incomings, it may feel like a bit of deja vu for fans as the club heads into its third transfer window looking to strengthen in three priority areas – goalkeeper, left-back and striker.

Joe Hart has retired at the age of 37 and a new shortlist for goalkeepers has been drawn up. The club had previously been looking in the market of back-ups from the elite – something they explore again – with interest in the likes of Newcastle’s Martin Dubravka, Sparta Prague’s Peter Vindahl Jensen and Aston Villa’s Viljami Sinisalo to name just a few.

The need for a left-back is apparent with Greg Taylor now having no competition for his place in the starting line-up. Alexandro Bernabei is on loan at Brazilian club Internacional until the end of December, so this will be a key position to fill.

Adam Idah’s loan from Norwich City appears to have been a success, but Celtic have no option-to-buy clause in the deal. This puts the club in a more difficult position if they decide they want to buy him, with no set fee agreed. Other clubs in the English Championship and Serie A are also keen on the player, which could also drive up the fee.

Further to those three areas, if O’Riley leaves, the club will need to make a decision about entering the market for a central midfielder. They have an option-to-buy in the region of £6m in the loan deal with Benfica for Bernardo. The Hoops are currently in talks with Benfica to lower that fee to around £3.5m. It’s understood the Hoops have been tracking Luke McCowan at Dundee. They will also have the return of Bosun Lawal, who has excelled in central midfield on loan at Fleetwood Town and has also made the latest Republic of Ireland senior squad.

Outgoings will be important to trim the squad. James McCarthy, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Sead Haksabanovic, Mikey Johnston, Yuki Kobayashi and Hyeongyu Oh will be allowed to move on if clubs come in for them, while a decision will also be made on Stephen Welsh, who has attracted interest from Italy, France and Germany over the years.

Dundee

The Dens Park club impressed in their first season back in the Scottish Premiership with a top-six finish, but there is work to be done this summer for Tony Docherty to build on that.

Amadou Bakayoko and Owen Beck, who were stand-outs for Dundee, have returned to Forest Green Rovers and Liverpool with eight other loan players leaving and three others released.

Holding on to midfielders Lyall Cameron and Luke McCowan will be vital to their ambitions but both are into the final year of their contracts and are certain to attract interest this summer.

Dundee have secured Ricki Lamie after his loan from Motherwell but having conceded 68 goals last season, Docherty needs to bolster his defence further.

Dundee United

Manager Jim Goodwin has admitted he has a “big job” ahead as he looks to rebuild his squad after their return to the top-flight at the first attempt.

He has cleared out his squad with 11 players released, but striker Louis Moult has agreed a new one-year deal which could prove vital after his 18 goals in the Championship last season.

The Tannadice side offloaded their high-wage earners last season in favour of players who knew the second tier of Scottish football, but it will be all change again with Goodwin targeting top-six and not just Premiership survival.

There will be many signings over the weeks to come. Winger Will Ferry was the first in the door as he arrived from Cheltenham Town, while goalkeeper Dave Richards has also joined from EFL League Two outfit Crewe Alexandra.

Hearts

While Steven Naismith has been busy with some early additions, the big question for Hearts is will Lawrence Shankland stay or go?

The Scotland striker, who was the Premiership’s top scorer last season, is into the final year of his contact and is expected to hold further talks when he returns from Euro 2024.

Naismith will have Yan Dhanda to call upon next season and hopes the former Ross County star will add more goals to his side. Shankland may have netted 24 in the league, but second top scorer Kenneth Vargas only managed six.

Hearts have also added Blair Spittal from Motherwell and James Penrice from Livingston on pre-contracts, with influential midfielder Beni Baningime finally agreeing a new deal too, more than a year after the club began negotiations.

Hibernian

It is all change at Easter Road this summer with club legend David Gray taking charge following Nick Montgomery’s sacking and stalwarts Paul Hanlon and Lewis Stevenson – after playing over 1100 games combined for the club – departing for pastures new.

Recruitment has been an issue for the Leith outfit, not helped by the huge turnover in the dugout with six different managers since 2019.

That is something that should improve with Malky Mackay’s appointment as sporting director and the first challenge could be to find a replacement for winger Myziane Maolida after his impressive loan from Hertha.

There is also the need for a new goalkeeper after David Marshall’s decision to retire from playing to become the club’s new technical performance manager.

Kilmarnock

While defensively robust, scoring goals has been more an issue for Kilmarnock and that will be something Derek McInnes will want to address as he looks to challenge both domestically and in Europe.

The addition of Bruce Anderson from Livingston should help in that department with defender Stuart Findlay returning for another loan spell from Oxford after impressing last season.

More additions will follow but the big question for fans will be what happens to 19-year-old David Watson.

The midfielder – who is under contract until 2026 – was one of the stories of the Premiership last season, as his outstanding performances earned him the PFA Young Player of the Year award. Could Killie cash in to fund more additions across the team or will the player stay to help Kilmarnock again next season?

Motherwell

Stuart Kettlewell wants to see Motherwell back in the top-six after another uncomfortable campaign.

They were the third top scorers in the Premiership, but had a negative goal difference and managed just three clean season across the season.

The manager will be hoping the addition of centre-back Kofi Balmer from Crystal Palace will help with their defensive woes but he will need further additions at the back, while Welsh U21 midfielder Tom Sparrow has also joined from Stoke City.

Blair Spittal’s departure will be felt, but the emergence of Theo Bair and Lennon Miller was a major positive last season and holding onto them could be the extra quality they need to move up the table.

Rangers

Rangers head into the summer transfer window staring at another off-season squad rebuild after a disappointing end to the 2023-24 campaign saw them fail to stop Celtic retaining the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup.

In May, Philippe Clement said supporters could expect to see major turnaround in the squad, adding “it is going to be a big one, it is going to be quite a rebuild”. He has already been true to his word – the club moved early to sign Brazilian full-back Jefte, made Mohamed Diomande’s deal permanent and extended the loan of Oscar Cortes with an obligation to buy before announcing the pre-contract signing of Clinton Nsiala from AC Milan.

More names will follow. Rangers somehow manage to stare down the barrel of a total overhaul every summer and it would be no surprise if arrivals numbered in the double digits this time around. Realistically the club could be looking to add another goalkeeper, two more centre backs, two or three in midfield, as well as a new No10, recruits in both wide areas and at least one more striker.

Rangers have been crying out for youth, mobility, pace and players capable of carrying out a competent press week after week. It is no surprise then to see the club linked with a number of players under the age of 23. Uruguayan U20 World Cup winning midfielder Damian Garcia is reportedly a target, as is striker Albion Rrahmani, while there are suggestions that there is interest in South African winger Relebohile Mofokeng and Bayern Munich’s Yusuf Kabadayi.

Director of football recruitment Nils Koppen and Clement must get the balance right, however. There are few footballing cities in the world that can match the intensity and expectation of Glasgow. Experienced players, or those familiar with the league, will also be a priority.

Renewed links to Connor Barron have been welcomed by Rangers supporters, with the club desperate to sign Scottish players to meet the European quota as well. Barron would be an ideal signing in just about every regard.

Rangers cannot solely rely on an influx of youngsters to change their league fortunes next season, especially given the experience that has already walked out the building this month. Ryan Jack, Jon McLaughlin, Borna Barisic, John Lundstram and Kemar Roofe all left the club upon the expiry of their contracts this summer and there may be even more high-profile departures to come.

The likes of Sam Lammers and Jose Cifuentes could depart permanently, while even Todd Cantwell, Tom Lawrence and Jack Butland could leave if the right offers come in. However, it is the reports linking captain James Tavernier and Connor Goldson with moves to Saudi Arabia that will not go away. While perhaps a change would be best for all parties, it would leave Koppen and Clement with a great deal of work to do in finding suitable replacements and installing a new leadership group capable of guiding a much younger squad through Scottish football’s unique landscape.

Ross County

Don Cowie has lost star player Yan Dhanda but will be hopeful of making the right additions to avoid a third consecutive play-off final finish.

The Dingwall club beat Raith Rovers to retain their top-flight status and in part had Simon Murray’s 23 goals across all competitions to thank – but can they keep their striker?

As well as replacing Dhanda – Ross County will need to strengthen in defence this summer, with only Dundee and relegated Livingston conceding more last season.

St Johnstone

After avoiding relegation last season under Craig Levein, the upcoming campaign could be the start of an exciting new era for St Johnstone.

American lawyer and Cambridge United minority shareholder Adam Webb is set to takeover the club.

They have already signed striker Uche Ikpeazu – who had played under Levein at Hearts – and goalkeeper Josh Rae.

While more faces will be joining over the coming weeks and months to bolster the squad – the Saints will be desperate to keep a hold of two of their prized assets, Adama Sidibeh and Dimitar Mitov.

The duo have been linked with moves to the Championship – but no official approaches have yet been made.

Forward Sidibeh scored five goals in his last eight games for St Johnstone and has also impressed with his national side Gambia and is under contract for two more years.

Goalkeeper Mitov was the club’s player of the season and earned a spot in the Bulgaria squad and too is attracting interest from England.

St Mirren

Stephen Robinson has moved early to bolster his squad after they clinched European football for the first time since 1987.

Goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe has joined on loan from Brentford, while St Johnstone legend Shaun Rooney has signed from Fleetwood Town.

The Saints had already moved to extend the contracts of Toyosi Olusanya and Alex Gogic earlier in the season, however, more faces will join this summer and goals will be on the wish list.

Only the three relegation contenders – Livingston, Ross County and St Johnstone – scored fewer last season. Adding more goals could push St Mirren on again next term and possibly see them put a cup run together.

When does the summer transfer window open and close?

The 2024 summer transfer window in the Premier League and Scottish Premiership is officially open.

The window will close on August 30 at 11pm UK time in England and at 11.30pm in Scotland.

The Premier League and Scottish Premiership brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.

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