Celtic have completed the loan signing of Benfica midfielder Paulo Bernardo with an option to buy the 21-year-old.
The Hoops signed Honduras winger Luis Palma and on-loan Liverpool defender Nat Phillips earlier this week and the arrival of Bernardo could be their final piece of business.
When asked if there could be some late deals, manager Brendan Rodgers said earlier: “I’m not so sure. I don’t think there will be many more coming in.”
Ismaila Soro earlier left Celtic for Beitar Jerusalem – 19 months after his final appearance for the club – and another out-of-favour player, Albian Ajeti, was set to seal a move to Turkish football.
Rodgers also expected Sead Haksabanovic to depart after the midfielder appeared to express frustration over a lack of game time on social media.
The Celtic boss said: “Haksa is one of those that will look for game time and want to be a starter. So I would expect him to be moved on.”
Rangers manager Michael Beale was not expecting a busy evening after signing nine players earlier in the window, although reports later claimed the club had rejected Stoke’s bid for centre-back Ben Davies.
“We don’t have any injuries so the squad is looking healthy, the squad size has come down in size and average age so we are good to go,” Beale said.
“Naturally every manager is going to sit here and say they would like one more but if we don’t then I am happy with the squad we have got moving forward.”
On the potential for outgoings, he said: “We front-loaded early in terms of our recruitment, it might be a loan maybe for one of the younger members of the squad,” he said.
“But unless I receive a phone call in the short period then it won’t be one which is drawn out late into the evening.”
Dundee confirmed the first incoming signing of the cinch Premiership on deadline day by bringing in Burnley winger Marcel Lewis on loan until January. The 21-year-old was previously on Chelsea’s books and has played for Union St Gilloise and Accrington.
St Johnstone signed two players – 28-year-old Austrian midfielder Sven Sprangler following a trial period and 25-year-old Charlton winger Diallang Jaiyesimi on a season-long loan.
Motherwell signed 19-year-old left-back Georgie Gent from Blackburn on loan until the end of the season in a deal which is expected to be their final piece of summer business.
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes was still looking for a striker going into the final hours of the window.
“Nobody will be going out,” McInnes said. “We are still trying to bring someone in. Everyone is working flat out to do that.
“We have one in particular and two or three other plates spinning but we are trying to lean on everything possible to get this done. I’m optimistic and you have to be without being overly-confident.”
St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson warned that none of his players would be sold on the cheap after Aberdeen made an approach for Australia midfielder Keanu Baccus.
“There hasn’t been a formal bid, there have been conversations between the two clubs,” Robinson said. “No club has met our valuation on any player, including Keanu at this stage and I don’t expect them to.
“We are not in a position where we were last year when we had to take offers for players that were below market value. We have steadied the ship and got our finances right.”
Robinson added: “I don’t intend doing any business in. We have put our squad together, we have got the players in we wanted and we are happy with that.
“We have strengthened the squad from last year and if the window closed now, I would be very happy.”
Ross County were looking to add one more while they awaited news on Sunderland forward Ross Stewart’s prospective move to Southampton, which would land them a seven-figure sell-on fee.
Livingston were not anticipating any late arrivals but loaned defender Morgan Boyes to Inverness for the season.
Kane injury doubt for England Euro 2024 squad
Harry Kane may be a doubt for England’s Euro 2024 squad as he continues to struggle with a back problem.
Gareth Southgate is due to name his preliminary squad for Euro 2024 on Tuesday, ahead of upcoming friendlies against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Iceland.
The England captain missed the final two Bundesliga games of the season after going off towards the end of Bayern Munich’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid.
Thomas Tuchel confirmed prior to their final match against Hoffenheim that Kane was back in England to undergo treatment.
When later asked again about the nature of the striker’s injury, Tuchel admitted that Kane had been struggling for a couple of weeks.
"In Madrid, it was borderline. We tried injections and treatments. The back has completely closed.
"It has gotten worse and kept breaking out in small, everyday movements. There's no chance he's even training."
Kane scored 36 league goals in his debut campaign for Bayern, though due to the injury, he finished five adrift of Robert Lewandowski’s single-season goal record of 41, set in 2019-20.
The final announcement of Southgate's 26-man squad will be revealed on June 7, ahead of the tournament opener against Serbia on June 16.
Pochettino prioritising continuity as Chelsea draw up transfer plans
Mauricio Pochettino feels continuity will be key for Chelsea ahead of his second season in charge, ruling out the prospect of another clear-out at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea clinched European qualification on the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday, a 2-1 win over Bournemouth ensuring they beat Newcastle United and Manchester United to sixth place.
The Blues finished the campaign with five straight victories, the first time they have achieved that feat since doing so in March 2022 under Thomas Tuchel.
A positive end to Pochettino's debut campaign has quietened talk of his job being under threat, and he wants to see evolution rather than revolution ahead of 2024-25.
"Does the club need new signings? Always, you can improve," Pochettino said after Sunday's victory.
"They are going to be much better next season because they will have one year of experience, a tough experience.
"That is the advantage of being solid and consistent and not making too many changes.
"Next season, if we keep 80 to 85 per cent of the squad, for sure it is a big step forward because it is about having continuity in the ideas and the knowledge between them. That is important for the club.
"That is a club decision. Like it was from the beginning, we [the coaching staff] are going to be there to help and if not, we are going to do our job."
Chelsea only lost one of their final 15 matches of the Premier League season (nine wins, five draws), with that defeat coming by a 5-0 scoreline at Arsenal in April.
Only Manchester City, Arsenal (16 each) and Liverpool (12) won more Premier League games than Chelsea's 10 between the turn of the year and the end of the campaign, with their total of 43 goals in that time ranking them fifth among all teams in the division.
Chelsea's overall tally of 77 goals in 2023-24 was their third-most in a Premier League season, behind only their title-winning campaigns of 2009-10 (103) and 2016-17 (85).
Klopp planning private life after Liverpool exit, coaching return uncertain
Jurgen Klopp is planning to lead a private life after walking away from the Liverpool job, suggesting it is far from certain that he will return to management.
Liverpool beat Wolves 2-0 in Klopp's 334th and final Premier League game at the helm on Sunday, the German becoming the first permanent Reds boss to win his last match in charge since Matt McQueen in February 1928 (3-2 versus Derby County).
Upon announcing his departure in January, Klopp said he was "running out of energy", and he has repeatedly suggested a sabbatical is next after nine years in charge at Anfield.
On Sunday, he hinted a return to coaching was not a guarantee, despite rumours suggesting Bayern Munich or the Germany job could be next for him.
Before planning any future career moves, he intends to spend time with wife Ulla Sandrock, saying: "A private life must be planned and I didn't plan anything yet because I was here.
"Probably Ulla will update me on where we go but I follow happily.
"I have just finished this job. I don't know exactly why nobody believes I probably will not be a manager again but I understand because obviously it seems to be a drug, because everybody comes back and everyone works until they are 70-something. I have always had the idea I won't do that.
"Other people can do it in different ways, I have to be all-in, I have to be the spark, I have to be the energy, I have to be all these kinds of things and I'm empty.
"You only have to look outside which clubs are obviously available. There will be opportunities, but I don't sit here and think, 'maybe in a year's time I'll take that'.
"But look, it's not burning behind me and that gives me a good feeling."
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