10 free agents Celtic, Rangers and Premiership rivals can sign right NOW as transfer bargains multiply
Transfer Deadline Day debriefs will be happening across the country as fans dissect the deals their clubs did or didn't do.
In Celtic's case, it's definitely the latter. A replacement for Kyogo never arrived, despite Brendan Rodgers telling anyone who'd listen that's what was needed and there was the money to do it. Across town at Rangers, they planned ahead by snaring Lyall Cameron for the summer, which is when fans hope the real recruitment work will start in earnest as Rangers yet again gear up to try to challenge Celtic.
Aberdeen and Hearts were busy, Hibs less so while Dundee Utd added earlier in the week as the battle for top six and Europe looks set to involve a few more players than the start of the season suggested. Now of course, punters will be wondering if their club isn't actually completely finished. There's always faint hopes that a post-window freebie could be pulled out the bag.
This is a risky market. The odd gem can be unearthed outside of the window. But questions will arise as to why players are available and why no one else wanted them. Valid questions and there can be valid reasons. Record Sport looks at 10 free agents currently available who could maybe prove useful to a certain level of Premiership club.
Daniel Amartey
A title winner with Leicester, the Ghanaian spent seven years with the Foxes so is well known to Rodgers. Has plenty of European experience and is still only 30, so plenty left in the tank.
Joined Besiktas after his Leicester contract expired following their relegation to the Championship. However, he lasted just over one year in Istanbul before having his contract terminated last September, for reasons that haven't been disclosed, which could put clubs off. A lack of football since then would also be a worry.
Ryan Kent
Good old Ryan Kent. His name has featured in one of these articles before as the winger has found a home hard to find since leaving Ibrox. Fenerbahce was a good move on paper, although turned out to be anything. But the former Liverpool kid was then frozen out before having his contract ripped up in October.
Rangers return rumours persist, but it's unlikely to happen with Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen calling the shots. And with the club trimming the wage bill, Kent is probably out of budget when it comes to wages anyway.
Jason Denayer
The former Celtic centre back is still only 29. He left Lyon for the UAE for €14million as recently as 2022, then on to Saudi for another €5million six months later. Al Fateh cancelled his deal which was set to run until the summer and as ever, his injury problems seem to be a contributing issue.
Johnny Russell
The former Dundee Utd man was ripping it up for most of his time in MLS with Sporting Kansas City, becoming the highest scoring Scot in the competition's history. Bucking a recent trend, he managed to keep getting Scotland call ups despite playing his trade in the States.
Departed Kansas at the end of the 2024 MLS season and has been on the lookout for a club since. At 34, he isn’t going to be a long term option but could provide an experienced option up front and chip in a few goals for someone that needs a bit of cover up front, a la St Mirren.
Timothy Fosu Mensa
A player with real pedigree having come through the ranks at Manchester United before joining Bayer Leverkusen. However, a second serious knee ligament injury of his career kept him out of action for almost a year.
And he struggled to recover from that se back, not playing enough to earn a medal as Xabi Alonso's side went unbeaten to claim a first ever Bundesliga title. Clearly a player who has something but needs to prove his fitness to get his career back on track.
Kemar Roofe
If it weren't for injuries, Roofe could well still be at Rangers and talked about as one of their best finishers in recent years. When he was on the pitch, Roofe knew where the goals were and more often than not came up with the goods, especially away from home and in Europe.
But durability and reliability were the biggest issues. Left Ibrox last summer and hasn't been picked up since. If someone could negotiate and make a pay as you play deal work, then perhaps worth a short-term gamble.
Jake Doyle-Hayes
At the other end of the pedigree scale, Doyle-Hayes left Hibs earlier in the window after recovering from injury but struggling to force himself back into David Gray's XI. Impressed at St Mirren prior to making the move to Easter Road and has enough Premiership experience to do a job in the top flight.
Viktor Kovalenko
The Ukrainian international was most recently with Europa League winners Atalanta, but was released at the end of the last summer transfer window, so lack of playing time is an issue. He boasts an impressive CV however, racking up over 100 appearances for Shakhtar Donetsk before making the move to Serie A.
He did admittedly spend most of his time out on loan from the Bergamo club, making just one appearances for them but plenty for Spezia and Empoli. With 33 Ukraine caps to his name, it's something of a surprise someone hasn't yet taken the plunge.
Alexandru Matan
At 5ft 6in, the Romania attacking midfielder may not have the physicality typically looked for in the Scottish Premiership. But size isn't everything and the 25-year-old is available after leaving Columbus crew at the end of the MLS campaign.
More of a goal maker than goal scorer, Matan can play behind the striker or on the left drifting in. Not the most obvious transfer, but sometimes left field moves can pay off when least expected.
Laszlo Kleinheisler
The 30-year-old Hungarian has had quite the varied career. Since leaving Videoton in his homeland for Werder Bremen eight years ago, the versatile midfielder has been back to Hungary with Ferencvaros, Kazakhstan with FC Astana and spells with Osijek and Hadjuk Split in Croatia before a more recent switch to Greek giants Panathinaikos.
He only left the Athens outfit last week so hasn't been sitting idle for the last few months. Can play anywhere in the middle of the park and has wealth of experience behind him.
