Tottenham Hotspur ‘monitoring’ ex-Celtic favourite as Hibs star lands international backing

Rangers continue hunt for Michael Beale’s replacement while Hibs star prepares for international debut

It’s only three more days until derby day in Edinburgh. Hearts will once again welcome Hibs to Tynecastle in the first Edinburgh derby of the 2023/24 season and with both teams struggling to find consistency, the game is set to be a huge marker in the battle to reach the top half of the table.

This weekend also marks Nick Montgomery’s first Edinburgh derby and if he is anything like his predecessor, fans are in for a dramatic ride in Gorgie this weekend. While the May match ended in a 0-0 draw, the chaos was not contained to the pitch and the final whistle saw both teams, led by their managers, come to a near-brawl.

It remains to be seen what will take place in Tynecastle this weekend but while the sides prepare for the first capital showdown of the season, here is the latest news from the Scottish Premiership.

Spurs monitoring ex-Celtic favourite

Tottenham are monitoring Portugal winger Jota’s situation, with the 24-year-old still not registered at Saudi club Al Ittihad having joined from Celtic in the summer (90 minutes).

Jota made the £25 million move but has since been left out of the squad due to the eight-man foreign player policy but sources have confirmed that he could be reunited with his former Parkhead boss Ange Postecoglou talks between his current club continue to be without a resolution.

90 min also revealed that towards the end of the summer window Spurs were weighing up approaching Jota but instead chose to sign Nottingham Forest’s Brennan Johnson.

Compensation fee no issue for Ibrox

Rangers have looked into poaching Derek McInnes from Kilmarnock and while a compensation fee to terminate his Killies contract would be within the club’s means, this is not an issue for the Ibrox side (Ibrox News).

The online outlet reported that the current Killies boss is still held in high regard at Rangers but while former Chelsea boss Graham Potter ruled himself out, the Gers are also considering AZ Alkmaar head coach Pascal Jansen and Yokohama F Marinos manager Kevin Muscat - also a former Ibrox man.

Ibrox News also reports that While McInnes was more of a squad player for Rangers in his playing days, his five-year stint at Ibrox shows that he is familiar with the demands of the fanbase and the pressure that comes with it.

His Kilmarnock side have had a tricky start to the league, with their only win coming against Rangers themselves on the opening day of the season. However, he does know what it takes to beat Celtic, with his Killies upsetting the Hoops in the League Cup.

Hibs star lands international backing

Lewis Miller, the Hibs right-back, is set to receive his first Socceroos call-up as head coach Graham Arnold ponders on his defensive options. Miller, who was recently reunited with former Central Coast coach Nick Montgomery, has been coming into his stride in the past six games.

The 23-year-old scored against St Johnstone and assisted in Hibs’ 4-2 win over St Mirren. It has since been understood by The West that with his strong form and Nathaniel Atkinson’s ankle injury, the attacking full-back is moments away from earning his first senior call-up.

The Australian squad, which will play England at Wembley Stadium and then New Zealand at Brentford’s stadium four days later, will be announced tomorrow, Thursday 5 October.