Rangers manager Michael Beale has told his squad some players will be fighting for their futures as their “disappointing season” enters the final stages.

The Light Blues were consigned to a campaign without silverware when they lost 1-0 to Celtic at Hampden in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final.

Three consecutive defeats against their city rivals have put the Hoops well on course for the treble and cemented Beale’s desire to revamp his squad in the summer.

They still have five cinch Premiership games to play and there are important fixtures despite the near certainty that Celtic will win the league.

The visit of Aberdeen next Saturday gives Rangers the chance to avenge their recent defeat at Pittodrie and then Beale has another opportunity to mastermind his first derby win when Celtic visit Govan.

And the concluding Premiership games could be the last chances for some players to prolong their Ibrox careers.

“Some are fighting for their futures obviously,” Beale said.

“We have to play the games in front of us. It’s a big weight and responsibility wearing the shirt for Rangers. It’s a huge privilege as well.

“Next week, Ibrox will be an interesting place but the fans will be there because that’s what they do, they support their team and they expect their team to win.

“This one will sting for a few days but the problems are throughout the season. It’s been a disappointing season for a Rangers fan. From the moment we beat PSV, it promised a lot more than it’s given.

“It’s the first season in a couple of years that we haven’t won a trophy or haven’t had a big finale.

“That’s disappointing for me as the manager and everybody associated with the club.

“All we can do is move forward and do better – we need to do better.”

Beale noted that Rangers had restricted Celtic to few chances and created some big opportunities themselves when asked if he needed to sharpen their attacking threat by looking outside the club.

Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent are likely to depart at the end of their contracts and they offered nothing of note at Hampden.

Although Kent was influential in Rangers’ run to the Europa League final last season, he has only scored six goals over the past two years, while Morelos has only scored three goals against Celtic in almost six seasons.

Beale said: “That’s the story of Rangers’ season, certainly domestically: we have had the moments. We were in a final and missed big opportunities, we were in a semi-final and missed big opportunities to change the direction of the season.

“It’s been in our hands, even against as strong a Celtic team as I have seen, our team went out and played well. But where it counts, in both boxes, we have fallen short.”

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou pointed to his side’s improved big-game mentality as a key factor in them going at least one stage further than last season.

The cinch Premiership leaders set up the chance to win a treble when they beat Rangers 1-0 at Hampden on Sunday to secure a Scottish Cup final date against Inverness.

Celtic have now gone six derby games unbeaten since losing 2-1 after extra-time against Rangers in last year’s Scottish Cup semi-finals.

Postecoglou said: “Twelve months ago, when we lost here, it was another tight game, but I thought last year Rangers were a very good team and they had that resilience in them. That’s why they got to a European final.

“They did what they needed to do to get the job done on the day.

“That’s been our evolution as a team this year. It’s not easy to develop that because you need time and you need to be put in that situation as often as possible. But this group has really learned quickly that when you get to these big games, the games of consequence, you have to do what’s required.

“That’s what we did and I think we have been doing it all year.

“It’s where the team is at in terms of their progression. They understand that in the big games you need to show every facet of your game and that’s what we did.”

Celtic will clinch the title if they beat Hearts at Tynecastle next Sunday and they then take on Rangers at Ibrox.

If they win both those games, the rest of the league season is likely to be geared towards trying to break the top-flight record points total.

That could help keep Celtic firmly in the groove as they prepare to face an Inverness team that beat Falkirk 3-0 in the other semi-final.

“I watched the game and it was a decent game of football,” Postecoglou said. “I thought both teams played some good football on a big occasion. We will look forward to it.

“What we have done is give ourselves a chance to have a special season.

“We haven’t done that yet though. We have still got to win the league and play off in the cup final. When it comes around we will be ready for it.”

Ange Postecoglou lauded Celtic after their hard-fought Scottish Cup win over Rangers offered the Bhoys "the chance to do something special" in their treble pursuit.

Jota's first-half header was the difference in Sunday's 1-0 semi-final win over Rangers at Hampden Park, teeing up a meeting with Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the final.

Just one win shy from sealing the Scottish Premiership and with the Scottish League Cup already secured, Postecoglou believes Celtic are on the brink of history.

"These things you have to earn," the Celtic manager told Viaplay. "It's not just rolling up and hoping it happens.

"Rangers put in everything to try and stop us. The boys were brilliant in attack when they needed to – and defend when needed to.

"You have to enjoy it when it's hard-earned. We've given ourselves the chance to do something special."

Yet Postecoglou insisted his side are far from the finished article, despite hailing Celtic's gritty character.

"It's not just about the football and individuals, but collectively, they take hold of games and have that resilience – that's the growth of this side," the Australian added.

"We're not a top team yet. We've still a bit to do, but you have to embrace every aspect of the game to be one of those sides and we're doing that."

Rangers manager Michael Beale pulled no punches in his assessment, suggested his team have let down their supporters with their endeavours this campaign.

Beale told Viaplay: "Over the season, we've not been good enough. We've fallen short in winning silverware for our fans and the club.

"We played well in the game, we were in the game the whole time. We don't want to feel like this this time next season."

James Tavernier hit the post as Rangers looked to fight back, while Scott Arfield twice went close as Joe Hart stood firm in the Celtic goal.

A momentary lapse in concentration proved Rangers' downfall when Daizen Maeda latched onto a loose ball and Jota headed in his right-wing cross.

"We had as many chances as we probably wanted today and it comes down to us switching off in the moment," Beale added. "In their box, Joe made good saves, we missed on the rebound too.

"We played well in the game, we were in the game the whole time, so we're disappointed to not get a result as I thought we performed well enough to get one. Today is a lot of what ifs."

Jota’s first-half header gave Celtic a hard-fought 1-0 win over Rangers at Hampden Park to set up a Scottish Cup final date with Inverness which could see them clinch the domestic treble.

The returning Portuguese winger punished slack Gers defending three minutes from the interval to head past keeper Allan McGregor from close range.

Ibrox skipper James Tavernier hit the post with a drive in a breathless second half, with substitute Fashion Sakala missing the open goal from the rebound, but despite much huffing and puffing the holders could not muster an equaliser and it eventually turned into another hard-luck story.

Ominously, Michael Beale has not beaten Celtic in four attempts since taking over as Light Blues boss last November, while Rangers have not won an Old Firm game in six attempts.

Ange Postecoglou’s side, one cinch Premiership victory away from retaining the title and with the ViaPlay trophy already in the Parkhead trophy room, will be overwhelming favourites when they play Championship side Inverness at the national stadium on June 3 and few will bet against them completing the clean sweep.

For Beale and Rangers, it is now all about next season.

A 50-50 allocation split ensured the atmosphere was much more electric than in recent league games, attended by the home support only, and there was some drama when referee Willie Collum pulled up in the warm-up to be replaced by fourth official Don Robertson.

Gers fans welcomed back defender Connor Goldson and Ryan Kent while Hoops supporters were delighted to see Japan midfielder Reo Hatate and Jota back from injury, to have both sides more or less at full strength.

After the kick-off was delayed to allow the smoke from supporters’ flares to clear, Rangers showed their intent to press early and midfielder Nicolas Raskin won a corner with a deflected shot from 25 yards, which was well defended.

Celtic settled and began forcing the Govan side into basic errors as they enjoyed a period of control, with Rangers responding in a see-saw match.

The first clear-cut chance of the fiery encounter had still to arrive but in the 26th minute McGregor made a good diving save from Celtic right-back Alistair Johnston’s powerful 20-yard shot before the Gers keeper saved Jota’s angled-drive with his foot.

Malik Tillman injured himself challenging Celtic left-back Greg Taylor down the left-flank and had to be replaced by fellow midfielder Scott Arfield.

Jota failed to control a Daizen Maeda cross when unmarked at the back post and a decent chance was gone but he made no mistake moments later.

Rangers inexplicably stopped when referee Robertson took no action after Raskin challenged Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley at the edge of the box and Maeda took possession of the loose ball and swiftly crossed for Jota to bullet a header past McGregor.

Rangers began the second-half as well as they had the first and won a series of free-kicks. From one delivery, Hoops keeper Joe Hart saved from Sakala then from Ryan Kent, before defender Cameron Carter-Vickers cleared to safety.

Johnston clashed with Barisic and limped off to be replaced by Anthony Ralston and the match swung from end to end.

Hoops striker Kyogo Furuhashi forced a save from McGregor with a drive to the near post before Arfield tested Hart with an effort from a similar distance.

In the 65th minute, when Tavernier beat Hart with a low drive from distance and Sakala missed the target with the rebound, it felt like it was not going to the Ibrox side’s day.

Tavernier headed a deep cross from Barisic on to the ground and over the bar from 10 yards as Rangers’ pressure intensified but they eventually ran out of time.

Beale has spoken regularly in recent weeks about the rebuild he proposes next season and he needs to get it right but before that there is another Old Firm meeting in the league in two weeks’ time in which Celtic will again fancy their chances as they continue to dominate this fixture.

Celtic will play Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Cup final after they beat Rangers 1-0 in an Old Firm semi-final at Hampden Park.

A typically high-tempo Glasgow derby saw Jota head in the only goal of the game just before half-time to keep Celtic's treble hopes alive.

Rangers had chances to level in the second half, with James Tavernier hitting the post, but they were unable to find a way past Joe Hart on Sunday.

Just one win away from sealing the Scottish Premiership, Ange Postecoglou's side further cemented their superiority over their rivals with a fourth win in five Old Firm derbies this season.

Rangers nearly took an early lead as the pre-match smoke cleared, with Nicolas Raskin seeing a shot from 25 yards out deflected just wide of the near post.

Celtic started to take control and tested Allan McGregor with shots from Alastair Johnson and Jota, while Rangers lost Malik Tillman to a hamstring injury just after the half-hour mark.

The Bhoys were ahead in the 42nd minute after Rangers' defence went to sleep and allowed Daizen Maeda to capitalise on a loose ball and cross from the right for Jota to head in unmarked.

Michael Beale's men started the second half brightly and Cameron Carter-Vickers had to react quickly to deny Alfredo Morelos a tap-in, before Scott Arfield forced a good save from Hart low to his right.

Tavernier hit the inside of the post with a smart effort before Fashion Sakala put the rebound into the side-netting, while Arfield hit a left-footed shot over late on as Rangers just could not find the elusive equaliser.

Nico Raskin revealed that Rangers will be driven by two key objectives as they bid to topple city rivals Celtic in Sunday’s Scottish Cup semi-final at Hampden.

With the Hoops 13 points clear at the top of the cinch Premiership and unbeaten in the four meetings between the teams so far this season, the Belgian midfielder is desperate for Gers to finally enjoy an Old Firm derby victory and keep alive their last remaining hopes of silverware.

“It’s very important for two reasons,” he told Sky Sports. “We need to win something for the season and it is our last chance. And also we want to win against them.

“We’ve now lost two games (against Celtic) since I came. I think the last game was close. We are not too far from them. I’m sure we can do something in the semi-final, I’m sure if we play our best we can do something good. We have to go there with a strong mentality and go for it.”

Raskin has already experienced facing Celtic at Hampden, with his first Glasgow derby bringing a 2-1 defeat against Ange Postecoglou’s side in the Viaplay Cup final in February. The 22-year-old would love to be on the other side of the result this weekend.

“The atmosphere was great, the half-and-half stadium was great, now we want to make our fans proud,” he said.

“The last time we lost this game and it was painful to see them enjoying it with their fans and see our fans sad. We will go for it.

“I am waiting to play in the Old Firm game at our stadium, I have played there (at Celtic Park) and Hampden.

“You can feel the atmosphere, it is great. When you have 60,000 that are so passionate you can feel it, it is something you don’t see in every country.

“You need to see it and feel it to understand what it is.”

Raskin joined Rangers from Standard Liege in January and he explained that one of the main things he has had to adapt to is facing opponents who sit deep when they go up against his team.

“I’ve learned that the standards at Rangers need to be high every day in training,” he said. “For every aspect – nutrition, training or sleep – you need to put your standards higher. I’m trying to do this and improve myself.

“I wouldn’t say the pace of the game is faster in Scotland than I imagined but it is different. It is a different type of game.

“Here you can face teams that just go down (deep) and then counter so you need to adapt the way you play.

“It’s good for me because I am learning to play against a low block and how to create chances against a team playing a low block.

“It’s never easy for a team to play against a low-block team that defend well. It’s good for me to see every type of team.”

Lionel Messi's club future remains uncertain, with his Paris Saint-Germain contract at the end of this season.

The two parties have not reached any agreement on a new deal, while there has been speculation linking the 35-year-old with a return to Barcelona.

Messi has also been linked with big-money moves to clubs in Saudi Arabia and the United States.

TOP STORY – PSG WILLING TO MOVE ON FROM MESSI

Paris Saint-Germain are willing to let Lionel Messi exit on a free transfer in the upcoming off-season, reports the Sunday Mirror.

Contract talks between Messi and PSG have stalled in the months following Argentina's World Cup triumph, having reportedly been close to penning an extension.

The report claims PSG are "in no rush" to extend Messi's deal as interest, with president Nasser Al-Khelaifi looking to run the club in a more sustainable way, relying less on star power.

ROUND-UP

– Bayern Munich's number one striker target in the off-season remains Napoli's Victor Osimhen following talks with officials and new boss Thomas Tuchel, claims BILD. The German champions are also keen on Tottenham's Harry Kane, Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani.

– Barcelona are considering off-season moves for Chelsea duo N'Golo Kante and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang , reports The Mirror.

– Fabrizio Romano claims Liverpool and Manchester United will both hold talks with Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister will take place "very soon".

– Brentford’s David Raya, Porto’s Diogo Costa and Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili are all on Manchester United's goalkeeper shortlist to replace David De Gea, according to GiveMeSport.

– Football Insider claims Aston Villa are readying a £55m combined bid for Manchester City pair Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips.

– Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou is on Chelsea's shortlist to be their new permanent manager, reports The Guardian.

Celtic extended their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to 12 points after a 3-2 win in Saturday's Old Firm derby to all but end Rangers' title hopes.

A gripping game at Celtic Park saw the hosts pour more cold water on their rivals' diminishing title chances, as Michael Beale's side failed to cut the gap.

Kyogo Furuhashi gave Celtic the lead in the 26th minute, before a sumptuous James Tavernier free-kick pulled Rangers level just before the break.

Another for Kyogo restored the hosts' lead before Jota extended it, though Celtic were made to sweat after Tavernier headed in another with just over 10 minutes remaining, his 100th Rangers goal.

Kyogo had the ball in the net after just five minutes but was denied by an offside flag, with a typically frenetic start to the game leading to numerous misplaced passes from both teams.

There was controversy in the 19th minute when Alfredo Morelos turned the ball in at the far post from a Rangers corner, only for referee Kevin Clancy to disallow it for a foul on Alistair Johnston that looked a harsh call, though the VAR turned down the chance to call for a review.

Salt was rubbed into the visitors' wounds seven minutes later when neat work from Matt O'Riley on the left saw him cut the ball back to Kyogo, who took a touch before turning and finishing well to Allan McGregor's left.

Rangers were level just before half-time though after Tavernier curled an inch-perfect strike from 25 yards to Joe Hart's right that went in off the underside of the crossbar.

Kyogo restored Celtic's lead just after the hour mark when Ben Davies made a mess of a clearance, giving the Japan international a simple finish when presented with the loose ball.

Another Rangers defensive error in the 73rd minute saw John Souttar mishit a backpass attempt, allowing Jota to run in and round McGregor before rolling the ball into the net.

Tavernier met a Borna Barisic cross to head in at the far post to reduce the deficit to one again, but Celtic held on to all but end this season's title race.

Kyogo Furuhashi fired Celtic to Scottish League Cup final glory as the Japanese striker's double delivered a 2-1 win against Rangers at Hampden Park.

Ange Postecoglou's Hoops completed a successful trophy defence and remain firmly in the hunt for a domestic treble.

Top of the league by nine points from nearest challengers Rangers, this result for Celtic denied their Old Firm rivals a chance to turn the tables and scoop silverware.

Rangers were seeking their first trophy in this competition since 2010-11, but on a pitch that looked better suited to battle than football, it was the men in green and white hoops that had the better attacking ammunition.

Celtic took the lead in the 44th minute when Furuhashi turned in left-back Greg Taylor's cross from close range, on hand to convert after team-mate Daizen Maeda missed his kick at the near post.

Rangers' Ryan Kent shot against the left post early in the second half, with Fashion Sakala firing into the side netting on the rebound.

Furuhashi doubled Celtic's lead when he bundled in Reo Hatate's low ball from the left in the 56th minute, putting Michael Beale's unbeaten record as Rangers boss in severe peril.

Beale, who was appointed in late November, was given encouragement when Alfredo Morelos got one back in the 64th minute, jabbing in as Celtic failed to deal with James Tavernier's free-kick from the left.

Both sides spurned chances in a typically high-octane contest between the Glasgow giants, with Celtic's Sead Haksabanovic shooting wide after being put through in stoppage time.

His miss did not matter ultimately, the men from the east end of Glasgow getting the better of their fiercest rivals, showing they remain top dogs in Scotland's biggest city for now.

Kyogo Furuhashi scored an 88th-minute equaliser to rescue a 2-2 draw for Celtic in Monday's Old Firm derby, preserving the Hoops' nine-point lead in the Scottish Premiership.

Rangers were on course for a deserved victory that would have breathed life into the title race, but the away side nabbed a crucial leveller right near the end.

Daizen Maeda had initially given Celtic an early lead, but Rangers soon established dominance and were good value for their lead following a quickfire double from Ryan Kent and James Tavernier early in the second half.

But when Rangers appeared to be cruising to a potentially vital victory, Kyogo emphatically finished from close range to stun the home crowd and salvage a point.

Had it not been for a defensive error, Rangers would not have trailed in the first place.

Alfredo Morelos' blind pass into the middle was seized upon by Maeda, who rode Tavernier's feeble challenge and skipped past Connor Goldson before slotting home.

Morelos then forced a Joe Hart error that led to Kent hitting the post from the edge of the box, seemingly jolting Rangers into life.

They finished the half with a hat-trick of Morelos chances, and their positivity paid off early in the second period as Kent curled a fine finish into the top-right corner.

Fashion Sakala, who also played a role for the equaliser, then lured Carl Starfelt into a clumsy foul in the box, and Tavernier converted the spot-kick.

It was not enough to clinch victory, though.

The ball fell kindly for Furuhashi after a scrappy passage late on, and he smashed home the goal many will feel ends the Gers' title hopes.  

Kyogo Furuhashi scored an 88th-minute equaliser to rescue a 2-2 draw for Celtic in Monday's Old Firm derby, preserving the Hoops' nine-point lead in the Scottish Premiership.

Rangers were on course for a deserved victory that would have breathed life into the title race, but the away side nabbed a crucial leveller right near the end.

Daizen Maeda had initially given Celtic an early lead, but Rangers soon established dominance and were good value for their lead following a quickfire double from Ryan Kent and James Tavernier early in the second half.

But when Rangers appeared to be cruising to a potentially vital victory, Kyogo emphatically finished from close range to stun the home crowd and salvage a point.

The power dynamic at Paris Saint-Germain is a curious watch, with Lionel Messi set to formalise an agreement to remain for another season.

Kylian Mbappe re-signed with the French champions in May until 2025 but has still been linked with moves away from the club.

Messi came out on top over Mbappe in the World Cup final earlier this month, and Barcelona believe an opportunity might arise. 

TOP STORY – BARCELONA SET TO SWOOP FOR FRUSTRATED MBAPPE

Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona are set for a shock move to sign Mbappe.

Speculation over Mbappe's future is growing amid reports he was further frustrated at Parc des Princes after Messi committed to extending his PSG stay.

The 24-year-old was close to joining Real Madrid in the past but he has been turned off by Los Blancos, since copping heavy criticism after opting to renew with PSG, and could now move to their fierce LaLiga rivals instead.

ROUND-UP

– Fabrizio Romano claims Barca have identified 18-year-old Borussia Dortmund forward Youssoufa Moukoko as a potential target and want to sign him as a free agent next year.

– Liverpool want to sign Brighton and Hove Albion's World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister, reports La Repubblica. The Reds have joined Juventus, Dortmund, Inter and Benfica in pursuing the Argentina midfielder.

– Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham is set to choose Real Madrid over Liverpool, with the Spanish champions to prioritise a deal in 2023, claims Goal. The Liverpool Echo reports Bellingham and Dortmund will sit down in January to discuss his future.

– Liverpool are interested in Inter defender Milan Skriniar , according to Fichajes. The Reds are looking at defensive reinforcements, with Skriniar out of contract at the end of this season.

– Chelsea are interested in signing Celtic's Croatia international Josip Juranovic as cover for the injured Reece James, according to Sky Sports.

– Il Tempo claims that Roma have sounded out PSG about terminating Georginio Wijnaldum's season-long loan. The Dutchman suffered a serious injury in August.

Bayern Munich are looking at Aston Villa's Emiliano Martinez as the potential solution to their goalkeeper issue, as Manuel Neuer is expected to miss the second-half of the season through his skiing injury.

Martinez, 30, had an interesting journeyman career before arriving with Villa in 2020, having been contracted to Arsenal, but loaned out to Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United, Wolves, Getafe and Reading.

In his first two seasons with Villa, Martinez kept 26 Premier League clean sheets, earning his Argentina debut in June 2021.

His ascension to La Albiceleste's number one saw him earn the 2021 Copa America Golden Glove as the tournament's best goalkeeper, and he followed it up with another Golden Glove after securing the World Cup title in a penalty shoot-out.

Neuer's leg fracture leaves Bayern without their first-choice goalkeeper, and with only a four-point gap atop the Bundesliga, they are reportedly desperate to secure a replacement in January.

TOP STORY – ARGENTINA WORLD CUP HERO TARGETED AS BAYERN'S NEUER REPLACEMENT

According to Media Foot, it is "out of the question" for Bayern to leave the January transfer window without a new goalkeeper, and Martinez's World Cup exploits have him at the top of the list.

He remains under contract with Villa until 2027, giving the Premier League side plenty of leverage in negotiations, and after signing him for £17million, will likely have their sights set on a significant profit to part ways with their world-class shot-stopper.

However, he is not the only keeper the German giants are keeping a close eye on from the World Cup, with Sky Sports Germany reporting they also are investigating Croatia's Dominic Livakovic and Morocco's Yassine Bounou.

That report states Bayern will try to tempt 34-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach's Yann Sommer to the club on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season, but that will not address their immediate pressing need.

ROUND-UP

– Sport is reporting Barcelona are in advanced negotiations with Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante on personal terms, as he is able to leave Stamford Bridge on a free transfer after the season.

– Journalist Ekrem Konur claims Sevilla are the latest club to enquire about 22-year-old Angers midfielder Azzedine Ounahi, who impressed for Morocco in Qatar.

– According to GiveMeSport, Chelsea are in the race to land 18-year-old Borussia Dortmund phenom Youssoufa Moukoko when his contract expires at the end of the season, while Si Phillips adds they will also try to sign out-of-contract Manchester United prospect Alejandro Garnacho.

– Sky Sports is reporting Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and multiple Premier League clubs have taken a liking to 27-year-old Celtic right-back Josip Juranovic after his performances at the World Cup for Croatia.

– According to Fabrizio Romano, 20-year-old Italian midfielder Ibrahima Bamba will likely leave Vitoria Guimaraes in January amid interest from Atalanta, Club Brugge and unnamed Premier League sides.

Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from Manchester United this week has put plenty of clubs on alert.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner is a wanted commodity, given his quality and sudden availability.

Ronaldo and United parted ways with a mutual termination of his contract after his explosive interview with TalkTV.

TOP STORY – SAUDI AND BRAZILIAN GIANTS TO MOVE FOR RONALDO

Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal and Brazilian giants Flamengo are among the clubs queuing to sign free agent Cristiano Ronaldo according to reports.

Sky Sports claims that Al Hilal are exploring a deal with the Portuguese, who had declined a £305m bid from an unnamed Saudi Arabian club in the off-season.

Brazilian outlet Veja reports that the 2022 Copa Libertadores winners intend to formalize a proposal to Ronaldo's representatives, although an offer has not yet been made, nor have talks commenced.

ROUND-UP 

- Football Insider reports that Chelsea are set to open talks with Brighton and Hove Albion's Belgian forward Leandro Trossard with his contract to expire at the end of season. New Blues boss Graham Potter knows Trossard well from his time at Brighton.

- Chelsea are ready to swoop for Manchester United target Diogo Costa, having made contact with him, according to Relevo. The goalkeeper recently re-signed with Porto and has a €75 million (£64.5m) release clause in his contract.

- Amid talk that Chelsea will try to sell Romelu Lukaku at the end of this season, SkySport claims Inter will extend the Belgian forward's loan for another year.

- Torino's Ivorian defender Wilfried Singo could snub interest from Juventus to remain with his current club, reports Calciomercato.

- Fabrizio Romano claims that Scottish champions Celtic are in talks with Canada international Alistair Johnston, with personal terms already being discussed. The right-back is currently with MLS club Montreal.

- QPR are anticipating the departure of manager Michael Beale to take over Rangers, claims Talk Sport. The Gers sacked Giovanni van Bronckhorst earlier this week.

Carlo Ancelotti joked of reaching 200 Champions League victories with Real Madrid after he matched Alex Ferguson's record following Wednesday's win over Celtic.

First-half penalties from Luka Modric and Rodrygo, followed by second-half strikes from Marco Asensio, Vinicius Junior, and Federico Valverde saw Madrid ease to a 5-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The win was Ancelotti's 102nd in the Champions League, drawing him level with Manchester United great Ferguson for the most victories by a coach in the competition.

When asked about matching the record, Ancelotti quipped: "Let's go for the 200. Happy to do it here at Madrid!

"It's been a lot of games on the bench. I think I've done pretty well."

The result also secured top spot in Group F for the Champions League holders, who won their pool for a third successive season.

Madrid had to come through matches against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Manchester City before beating Liverpool in the final.

On who Madrid might end up facing in the next round, Ancelotti was typically laid back. 

"After last year, it's better not to look at it. Going there [to play the away fixture] first gives you a small advantage, but not too much," he said.

"The return home last year helped us a lot. The second game at the Bernabeu helps us."

Jota grabbed a late consolation for Celtic, who saw a first-half penalty saved by Thibaut Courtois. Asked by BT Sport how important the Belgium goalkeeper is for Madrid, Ancelotti said: "A good team is a good goalkeeper, good defenders, good midfielders, and a good striker – and also a good coach!"

"This is the most important thing," he added with a smirk.

Celtic had their chances aside from the penalty, though found themselves in the unprecedented position of being 2-0 down to two spot-kicks inside the first 21 minutes.

Both penalties were awarded for handball, and the decisions seemed harsh, in particular the second, with Matt O'Riley unable to move away from a shot hit straight at him.

A perplexed Joe Hart told BT Sport: "I don't think either of them intentionally used their hand, I think that goes without saying. 

"I spoke to Matt and he said his hands were inside him, and it hit him – what do they want him to do? Chop his arms off?"