Celtic and Rangers trio tipped to miss out, stunning strike from Hearts loanee, Scotland star's new contract - Scottish football news

Aberdeen are reportedly closing in on the appointment of a new permanent manager. The Dons hierarchy are now choosing between three candidates and hope to have their new boss in for Saturday’s crunch cinch Premiership match against fellow league strugglers Ross County at Pittodrie. Aberdeen, who have been managerless since interim appointment Neil Warnock left more than two weeks ago, are currently ninth in the top flight, just three points ahead of County in 11th place. A host of names have been linked with the vacancy, including Neil Lennon, Jimmy Thelin, Michael O’Nell and Zeljko Sopic.

Michael O'Neill on rejecting Scotland, steering Northern Ireland new breed, Aberdeen link and Kevin Keegan Hibs interest

Hearts loanee scores stunning goal

Hearts loanee Dexter Lembikisa scored a stunning striker from distance for his country Jamaica as they defeated Panama 1-0 at home in a Nations League match. The 20-year-old, who is on loan from Wolves, fired home an unstoppable strike just before half time to give the Reggae Boyz the lead in Arlington, Texas. Lembikisa was later booked but the Jamaicans held on for the victory.

New deal for McTominay

Scotland midfielder Scott McTominay is set to be offered a new three-year contract, according to reports. The 27-year-old was heavily linked with a move to West Ham in January but it is now being claimed that he will be handed a bumper contract to keep him at Old Trafford, where he has chipped in with a number of important goals this season.

Horn leaves Rose

Bonnyrigg Rose have parted company with long-serving manager Robbie Horn. The Midlothian outfit currently sit third bottom of League Two, just two points away from safety, and a decision was made to sever ties in the wake of Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by Dumbarton. Horn had been in charge of the New Dundas Park side for 1,963 days and guided them from the Lowland League to promotion.

Miller tips Shankland

Former Rangers, Celtic and Scotland striker Kenny Miller believes the player of the year shortlist should be made up of Jack Butland, James Tavernier, Matt O’Riley and Lawrence Shankland – but that the in-form Jambos talisman tops the efforts of his Old Firm counterparts. “As we sit here now, I think Lawrence Shankland tops the lot of them,” said Miller. “I believe the Hearts striker will be crowned Scotland’s Player of the Year – and it’s hard to find an argument against it. I questioned if Shankland could succeed in the top flight a couple of years ago. But he shut me right up last year by scoring 24 for Hearts in the league. And to really hammer home his point he’s going to surpass it because he’s at 21 already in the league and 28 in total for club and country. To do that for a non-Old Firm team? You can’t underestimate the achievement. Because, with all due respect, he’s probably not getting the quality of service that Rangers and Celtic strikers do. And yet he’s out-shooting everyone at those clubs – by a distance."