There has been a big valuation jump for one of Rangers’ summer signings, while Celtic are still licking their wounds from Champions League disappointment and Connor Goldson has opened up on his Rangers exit.
Rangers could already have a seriously valuable asset on their hands.
New data from the CIES Football Observatory suggests that summer signing Olwethu Makhanya is now valued at around £12million, just months after Rangers reportedly paid around £3million to bring the South African defender to Ibrox from Philadelphia Union.
That represents a sizeable increase on the fee Rangers paid for the 23-year-old, with Football Insider reporting that the club could potentially command a substantial fee should interest develop.
Makhanya’s valuation will certainly catch the eye, particularly given how quickly it has risen since his move to Scotland.
For Rangers, it is another potential indication that the club could have unearthed a player with significant resale value.
And while there is no suggestion that Rangers are actively looking to sell him, a valuation of £12million certainly makes for interesting reading.
Celtic still thinking about LASK
Over at Celtic, midfielder Benjamin Nygren has admitted that the club have not completely moved on from their Champions League play-off disappointment against LASK.
Celtic were knocked out at the qualifying stage, ending their hopes of reaching the Champions League proper, and Nygren says the defeat is still something the squad are recovering from.
It is hardly surprising that the result continues to linger.
For a club with Celtic’s ambitions, missing out on the Champions League represents both a sporting and financial blow, and the mood around the club has understandably been affected.
Goldson opens up on Rangers exit
Former Rangers defender Connor Goldson has also been making headlines after revealing that Rangers paid him to leave the club before he joined Aris Limassol two years ago.
The experienced defender has now gone a step further by criticising the way Rangers handled James Tavernier’s departure.
Goldson’s comments will inevitably attract attention given his long spell at Ibrox and his close association with Tavernier during their time together at the club.
The former Rangers defender has questioned the handling of Tavernier’s exit, adding another layer to the ongoing discussion surrounding the way the club has dealt with some of its experienced players.
McTominay role explained
There was also an update on Scott McTominay’s situation with Scotland.
New Scotland head coach Sebastien Pocognoli described the Napoli midfielder as a “top player who can play in many positions” when asked how he sees McTominay fitting into his plans.
McTominay is currently recovering from a minor heart procedure, meaning his immediate involvement is subject to his recovery.
But Pocognoli’s comments suggest the new Scotland boss sees plenty of tactical flexibility in the former Manchester United midfielder.
O’Neill’s tax scheme revelation
And finally, Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has found himself at the centre of an altogether different story.
The Celtic boss reportedly resigned from two tax schemes designed to save members money through investments in films, doing so weeks before leading Celtic to a domestic double last season.
The revelation adds another unexpected chapter to O’Neill’s return to the Celtic dugout and is likely to generate plenty of discussion among supporters.
With Rangers’ rising player valuations, Celtic’s Champions League disappointment, former Rangers players airing their grievances and O’Neill facing questions away from the pitch, it has been quite a week in Scottish football.
And if the opening weeks of the season are anything to go by, there is unlikely to be much shortage of gossip any time soon.
