Friday's Scottish gossip

FOOTBALL GOSSIP

Swansea City are weighing up a move for Aberdeen's 21-year-old striker Chris Maguire. (Daily Express)

Dunfermline and Raith Rovers will go head to head in a £2m shoot-out at East End Park on Saturday - that's the value being placed on winning the First Division and reaching the Scottish Premier League. (Daily Record)

But Falkirk manager Steven Pressley refuses to give up hope of his team clinching the title. (The Herald)

Sir David Murray's preference is to sell his controlling stake in Rangers to Craig Whyte, rather than Dave King and Paul Murray, as he is satisfied that the Motherwell-born businessman has the funds to pay off the club's debts and invest in the team. (The Herald)

Whyte argues he is still in the driving seat to buy Rangers, even though there is the possibility of a rival bid from a consortium led by Paul Murray and Dave King. (Daily Express, The Sun)

Qatari club Lekhwiya confirm their interest in Rangers centre-half Madjid Bougherra. (Various)

Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson has distanced himself from the statement by fans' group ArabTrust which criticised the sectarian singing at Tannadice by Rangers fans. (Various)

Mark McGhee believes that if Neil Lennon is driven out of his job by death threats no top-class manager would consider taking on the role after him. (Daily Record, The Scotsman)

And Lennon insists nothing will take his mind off winning the title. (The Sun)

Rangers manager Walter Smith, chief executive Martin Bain and owner Sir David Murray have been warned by anti-terror police about their security. (Daily Record)

Former Scotland midfielder Jim Bett says he was tempted to move back to Rangers from Aberdeen when an offer came in from Ibrox boss Graeme Souness, but he did not want his young family exposed to the sectarian singing. (Daily Record)

Former Rangers striker Mark Hateley says the Rangers fans' behaviour in Sunday's Old Firm game is more important to him than beating Celtic. (Daily Record)

OTHER GOSSIP

Glasgow Warriors' Bernardo Stortoni will play his last game for the club this evening before heading back to Argentina to begin life as a gaucho on his parents' ranch. (The Scotsman)