Photo via BBC Sport

Celtic face Chambers competition - gossip

Celtic are contending with English Championship sides in the race to secure 22-year-old Liverpool defender Luke Chambers during the upcoming January transfer window. Elsewhere in Scottish football, former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard was present at Ibrox to watch his old club defeat Celtic 3-0 in the Premier Sports Cup on Sunday, later posing for photographs alongside several footballers he previously coached.

Meanwhile, 32-year-old Hearts defender Stephen Kingsley is embracing a packed run of matches centered on their upcoming Scottish League Cup semi-final showdown with Hibernian, and Aberdeen shot-stopper Marius Muller, 33, delivered an emotional address expressing gratitude to his squad following an arduous week and their Saturday penalty-shootout cup victory away to Kilmarnock.

In personnel updates, Dundee United look set to be without winger Mehdi Mergham when they travel to face St Mirren on Tuesday in the Scottish Premiership. Abroad, 23-year-old Scottish forward Kieron Bowie opened his goal account for Sassuolo during a thrilling 3-2 Serie A triumph against Juventus, a match that also saw fellow Scotsman Josh Doig take the pitch.

Back on the international scene, former Dundee United and Budapest Honved boss Tam Courts has been named head coach of the Scotland Under-19 national side.