Could Rangers face competition from Old Firm foes for Scott Allan?

Despite the fact that Rangers failed to secure a route back to the Ladbrokes Premiership last season, we could yet see an Old Firm battle of sorts in the coming weeks.

But rather than on the pitch, it could come in the form of a transfer tussle for Hibernian’s Scott Allan.

With the Gers’ interest in the player ramping up Ladbrokes have opened a market on which club will be the 23-year-old’s next.

The bookies make Mark Warburton 11/10 to bag his man, but they could have competition from Celtic who are snapping at their heels at 6/5.

The Ibrox side have had a bid of £175,000 rejected by Hibs for the player and it appears his current club are in no mood to do business.

“Scott Allan is one of Scotland’s best midfielders and last season’s Championship player of the season, and any approaches for him are unwelcome”. That was the response from the Leith club’s Chief Executive Leeann Dempster.

However while the hierarchy at Easter Road have expressed their unwillingness to sell, it could soon be taken out of their hands.

The former Dundee United trainee has just one year left on his current deal, and will be able to sign a pre-contract with Rangers, or any other club for that matter, in January.

A boyhood Rangers fan, you would expect that were he free to move and the club were interested the decision would be relatively straightforward to make.

But with Hibs perhaps clinging to the hope that with Allan in their side they can secure promotion and persuade him to stay, it makes little financial sense to sell the player for a nominal fee now.

Things though, could change if Celtic came in for the midfielder.

The Bhoys would be able to gazump their neighbours’ offer and potentially twist Hibs’ arm into a sale with a sizeable bid.

While they may not necessarily be in need of bodies in the centre of the park, acquisition of the youngster would be a bold statement for the future as well as getting one over of the arch enemy.

And with Premiership football then guaranteed, Allan himself may be less adverse to playing for Rangers’ rivals from across Glasgow.

A sale of their prized asset will certainly leave many Hibernian fans angry, as well as going against everything boss Alan Stubbs has repeated all summer.

While a move may not happen for another 12 months, it looks certain that Allan will be swapping Edinburgh for Glasgow for the 2016-17 season.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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