Scotland’s 10% men expecting little action in January sales

The transfer window may be about to open but Scotland's football agents are unlikely to be caught up in a stampede for their clients' services during the January sales. With budgets still tight, the consensus is that a modest level of activity will be the trend, with Rangers and Hearts the prime movers.

The Old Firm have both moved into the transfer market during the past month, with Rangers signing Kris Boyd and Celtic securing Roy Keane's signature. The Ibrox club are favourites to open their chequebook again.

"I think there will be a level of activity borne out of necessity rather than clubs having lots of money to spend," said agent Raymond Sparkes. "Rangers are likely to go into the transfer market, I'm certain of that, and possibly Hearts will enter, too."

Boyd's arrival will offset the departure of Francis Jeffers and Federico Nieto, announced yesterday, and Gordon Smith, the agent and TV pundit believes they will now try to strengthen in midfield. "I think Rangers might have identified one more player," he said. "They may be looking for someone on the left-hand side of midfield.

"As for Celtic, Gordon Strachan knows his squad pretty well and they've got Roy Keane in to add a bit of strength. They might think about bringing in another centre-half, but they are going well with the squad they have at the moment."

The other imponderable in January is Vladimir Romanov and Hearts. Will the Lithuanian millionaire open his cheque- book to bolster the Tynecastle side's squad for the title run-in? "What Hearts do in the transfer window might depend on how they perform against Celtic on January 1," added Smith.

"If they get a result against Celtic and are suddenly challenging for the league again then they might think about bringing one or two players in."

Roman Romanov, the Hearts chairman, reacted angrily last week to stories linking Paul Hartley with a move away from Tynecastle. Andy Webster and Craig Gordon have also been the subject of speculation and Kevin Drinkell, who works for 110 Sport Management, believes a bid for the latter's services may test Romanov's resolve.

"Now may be the time to call Vladimir Romanov's bluff and make an offer for Craig Gordon and one or two others," he said. "That would see what he is made of. Gordon has been a great goalie for the past year or so and people down south haven't failed to notice."

The rumour mill suggests Hibs' promising young talents will be coveted by many next month. Scott Brown was linked with Rangers last week, while Kevin Thomson, Gary Caldwell and Garry O'Connor have no shortage of suitors.

However, the general consensus among agents is that only Derek Riordan, who is out of contract next October, is a possible departure.

"Riordan is the only one who they might try and move on if they get a decent offer," added Smith. "Caldwell possibly going to Celtic is the other one, but I think that is likelier to happen at the end of the season. They're all playing regular, top-team football so there's no great need for them to leave. One or two of the bigger clubs might let their players go on loan to smaller clubs and Kilmarnock might be on the lookout for a striker now that Boyd's gone."

Taken from the Herald