Scottish Gossip: Celtic, Inverness, Aberdeen, St Johnstone, Dundee United, Hearts, Hamilton

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Sporting Lisbon pulled out of a deal to loan Scotland Under-21 midfielder Ryan Gauld to Huddersfield Town as they want to offer the 20-year-old more first-team football. (The Sun, print edition)

Dundee have approached midfielders James Vincent and Danny Williams to sign pre-contract agreements, but Inverness Caledonian Thistle are still hoping to persuade the pair to extend their deals there after the summer. (Daily Express, print edition)

Dundee United failed in a bid to sign Partick Thistle midfielder Steven Lawless and manager Alan Archibald says his winning goal against Motherwell on Tuesday showed that the Glasgow club were right to keep a hold of him. (The Sun, print edition)

Hamilton Academical have signed French striker Ouma Diaby until the end of the season, the 25-year-old having been a free agent after leaving Levski Sofia. (Daily Record)

Middlesbrough will make a new bid for Hearts defender Jordan McGhee in the summer after failing to secure a deal for the 19-year-old this week. (Daily Mirror, print edition)

St Johnstone have signed winger Danny Swanson for a second time, the 29-year-old having agreed an 18-month deal after securing his release from Hearts on transfer deadline day. (The Courier)

Middlesbrough failed in a bid for Jordan McGhee during the January transfer window

Danny Swanson, the winger who has returned to McDiarmid Park, thinks it was director of football Craig Levein's decision to sign him from St Johnstone last year as he was unable to impress head coach Robbie Neilson. (Daily Express, print edition)

Hearts director of football Craig Levein has revealed that Osman Sow could play in the Scottish Cup against Hibernian on Sunday despite the 25-year-old striker being on the verge of a £1.5m to Chinese club Henan Jianye. (Daily Mail, print edition)

Hearts' new signing, John Souttar, the 19-year-old defender who was transferred from Dundee United on Monday, believes his former team can beat relegation despite his departure and the 11-point gap between them and second bottom Kilmarnock.(The Courier)

John Souttar has revealed that Hearts head coach Robbie Neilson's commitment to young talent convinced him to move from Dundee United on Monday. (The National)

Start midfielder Kristoffer Ajer hopes that Celtic return in the summer to sign him after the Scottish champions decided against pursuing their interest in the 17-year-old during January. (Daily Record, print edition)

Celtic manager Ronny Deila believe Colin Kazim-Richards can become a role model for young players despite the 29-year-old striker's controversial past. (The Scotsman)

East Kilbride are on a £5000 a man bonus to beat Celtic in Sunday's last 16 Scottish cup clash at Excelsior Stadium, with local kitchen company Jackton Moor Kitchens having stepped in to offer an incredible incentive to Billy Ogilvie's Lowland League side.(Daily Record)

East Kilbride manager Billy Ogilvie has revealed that Scotland manager Gordon Strachan phoned him and Lothian Thistle counterpart Raymond Carr to rave about the match, the attitude of the players and the quality of football on show following their fifth-round Scottish Cup tie. (Daily Record)

Ronny Deila has expressed his confidence that he retains the full backing of the Celtic board despite Sunday's shock League Cup semi-final defeat by Ross County, although the Norwegian conceded he will lose his job if his team fail to retain the Scottish Premiership title this season.(The Scotsman)

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes says his team will try to exploit Celtic's weakness in central defence when they try to narrow the gap at the top of the Premiership to three points on Wednesday. (The Scotsman)

Celtic manager Ronny Deila thinks Colin Kazim-Richards can become a role model

Simon Church, the 27-year-old striker who has joined Aberdeen on loan from MK Dons, is hoping to impress in the Scottish Premiership in order to secure his place in the Wales squad for this summer's Euro 2016 finals.(Aberdeen Evening Express)

Aberdeen have recalled 19-year-old Scott McKenna from his loan with Alloa Athletic after allowing defender Paul Quinn to return to Ross County, while Wasps defender Michael Doyle has gone to Cork City on trial. (The Sun, print edition)

Aberdeen winger Jonny Hayes has been caught up in a row on social media site Twitter over whose dog was to blame after he had announced that he had to have 18 stitches in a hand wound following a bite. (Daily Record)

Harry Panayiotou, the 21-year-old forward who has signed for Raith Rovers on loan, says the meteoric rise of record-breaking Leicester City team-mate Jamie Vardy will spur him on with the Kirkcaldy club. (The Courier)

OTHER GOSSIP

New Tennis Scotland chairman Blane Dodds, the former Scottish number two player and current chief executive of North Lanarkshire Leisure, hopes to be the driving force behind an ambitious new funding arrangement that could revolutionise provision for the sport in this country with a new network of indoor tennis centres.(The Herald)

Former national captain Craig Wright is to quit his post as Scotland assistant in order to pursue business interests. (The Scotsman)

The Old Course in St Andrews is to host the Senior Open Championship for the first time, with the event going to Fife in 2018.(The Courier)

Imogen Bankier, who is retiring from badminton, aims to sign off with a 10th successive Scottish title at this weekend's Yonex Scottish National Championships at Bell's Sports Centre in Perth. (The National)