Rangers confirm loan signing of Fabio Silva from Wolves
Rangers have announced the arrival of Fabio Silva on a six-month loan deal from Wolves. The Portuguese striker, who joined the Premier League club in 2020 for £35m, becomes manager Philippe Clement’s first signing at Ibrox. Silva, 21, has been on loan at Anderlecht this season, scoring six goals in 18 appearances in the Belgian league. He will join his new teammates in Dubai for a winter training camp and could make his debut in the Scottish Cup fourth round against St Johnstone on January 15.
Silva said he was delighted to join Rangers and hoped to help them win more trophies. He told the club’s official website: “I am very happy to be here. Rangers are a huge club with a lot of history and a great fan base. I want to thank the manager and the board for giving me this opportunity. I am looking forward to playing in front of the supporters at Ibrox and scoring goals for this team. I know Rangers have a lot of quality players and I hope to learn from them and contribute to the success of the club.”
Celtic eye move for Sydney van Hooijdonk as striker search continues
Celtic are reportedly interested in signing Sydney van Hooijdonk from Breda in the January transfer window. The Dutch forward, who is the son of former Celtic star Pierre van Hooijdonk, has scored 14 goals in 19 games in the second tier of the Netherlands this season. The 22-year-old is out of contract in the summer and could be available for a cut-price fee. Celtic are in need of a new striker as Kyogo Furuhashi, Oh Se-hun, and Yang Dong-hyun are set to join their national teams for the Asian Cup later this month.
Van Hooijdonk has been linked with Celtic before, as he revealed in an interview with the Daily Record in October. He said: “Celtic is a club that I have always followed because of my dad. He had a great time there and he still loves the club. He always tells me how amazing the fans are and how big the club is. It would be a dream to play for Celtic one day, but I am focused on Breda right now. I want to score as many goals as possible and help the team get promoted. If Celtic come for me, then we will see what happens.”
Hearts aim to tie down Lawrence Shankland amid transfer interest
Hearts are keen to secure the future of Lawrence Shankland by offering him a new contract. The Scotland international has been in prolific form for the Jambos this season, netting 16 goals in 23 games in all competitions. The 26-year-old joined Hearts from Dundee United in the summer on a two-year deal, but his performances have attracted interest from clubs in England and abroad. Hearts manager Steven Naismith has admitted that Shankland’s representatives have made a demand for a new contract and he hopes to reach an agreement soon.
Naismith praised Shankland’s contribution to Hearts’ impressive campaign so far. He told the Edinburgh Evening News: “Lawrence has been fantastic for us. He is a natural goalscorer and he works hard for the team. He is a big part of our success and we want to keep him here. His agents have made a demand for a new contract and we are in discussions with them. We hope to find a solution that suits both parties. Lawrence is happy here and he knows he is valued. He has a chance to be part of something special at Hearts and I hope he stays with us.”
