Goalkeeper Jon McCracken makes loan return to Dundee
Dundee have completed the cinch Premiership’s first signing of transfer deadline day by taking Norwich goalkeeper Jon McCracken back to Dens Park on loan.
McCracken made four appearances for Dundee at the start of the season but lost his place when Trevor Carson joined from St Mirren and both parties agreed to terminate the loan deal in August.
The 23-year-old went on to join Accrington on an emergency loan and played 13 times and now cannot play for anyone else this season other than Dundee.
With Carson missing some recent games through injury, manager Tony Docherty told his club’s website: “It is important for me to have strong competition in every position for the last part of the season and I want that with our goalkeepers and bringing Jon in gives us a real level of competition.”
Celtic are set to wrap up the loan signing of Norwich striker Adam Idah after the 22-year-old arrived in Glasgow on Wednesday.
The Republic of Ireland international has scored 17 goals since graduating from the Canaries academy, with seven of them coming this season.
Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is also keen to add a left-back as Greg Taylor is out injured, with 31-year-old Paris St Germain player Layvin Kurzawa mooted as a possibility.
Midfielder David Turnbull, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has been linked with a £2million move to Cardiff, while Gustaf Lagerbielke’s proposed loan move to Italian side Lecce could be scuppered amid reports of further injury concerns over his fellow centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers.
There could be big news at Rangers amid reports from Italy that Hellas Verona are set to launch a bid to sign striker Cyriel Dessers.
Rangers are expected to complete the signing of 20-year-old Colombian winger Oscar Cortes on loan from Lens with an option to buy after he arrived in Glasgow.
However, the Ibrox club look to have been thwarted in their bid to land Brazilian left-back Jefte from Fluminense. The Gers hoped to recruit the 20-year-old immediately, but he is currently on loan with APOEL Nicosia and the Cypriot club are reportedly intent on keeping him until the end of the campaign.
Motherwell are still looking for at least one further addition after signing 22-year-old Welsh forward Jack Vale on loan from Blackburn on Wednesday, and assistant manager Stephen Frail gave fans fresh hope there might be a loan return for Groningen striker Kevin van Veen.
“I’m not sure anything’s out the water,” Frail said on Thursday morning. “That could be one of those last-minute things.
“There will be one or two people that the manager and recruitment team are looking to bring in. Any developments will maybe be last minute or later in the day.”
Aberdeen are said to have had a bid rejected in an effort to re-sign Mattie Pollock on loan from Watford, a day after Barry Robson was sacked as manager.
Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland has been the subject of intense speculation in recent months, but the Jambos go into the final day of the window without any notable approaches having been made for their top scorer.
The Edinburgh club signed Scott Fraser on Wednesday, but it looks unlikely that they will secure Yan Dhanda before the deadline after the Ross County playmaker agreed a pre-contract to move to Tynecastle in the summer.
Staggies boss Derek Adams said on Tuesday he expects the 25-year-old to remain in Dingwall for the rest of the season, while he hopes to add at least one or possibly two new players.
St Johnstone are reportedly hoping to land 25-year-old striker Adama Sidibeh from English non-league side Warrington Rylands.
Livingston boss David Martindale hopes to sign a new centre-back as well as Inverness midfielder David Carson, while Hibernian are another club in the market for a central defender.
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes said on Wednesday “we may still look to add one if we can”, while his St Mirren counterpart Stephen Robinson is happy with the make-up of his squad and not planning for much deadline-day business.
Outside of the top flight, Lowland League side Albion Rovers have sold striker Joe Bevan to Premier League Burnley for an undisclosed fee. The 19-year-old scored 15 goals for Rovers, including nine in League Two, after joining from Camelon 12 months ago.