
Who will Motherwell face in League Cup?
Motherwell have been drawn alongside Greenock Morton, Stenhousemuir, Peterhead and Clyde in Group G of the 2025-26 Premier Sports Cup.Yet to appoint a new manager after the shock exit of Michael Wimmer, the tournament will mark the new boss' first game in charge of the Lanarkshire club, with the opening fixture on 12-13 July and further matchdays on 15-16 July, 19-20 July, 22-23 July and 26-27 July.The eight group winners and three best runners-up will join Scotland's five European entrants - Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hibernian and Dundee United - in the last 16 on the weekend of 16-17 August.Motherwell were one of four semi-finalists last term but lost out narrowly to Rangers at Hampden.
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Daily Record
13 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Brendan Rodgers warned Kyogo is a no-go for a Celtic return but boss needs new faces to keep trophy hunger alive
Former Scotland star Don Hutchison thinks it's a big summer for Celts and there were also words of advice for target Lennon Miller Celtic are going back to the future with Kieran Tierney set to return to the club after five years at Arsenal. And the hero's return comes just six months after Jota made an emotional comeback at the club. It's no wonder Hoops fans are looking around for some more former favourites to sign up for another spell at the club. Punters would take Matt O'Riley back in a heartbeat, with the £25m midfielder dropping a major hint he's not that happy at Brighton after battling back from long term injury. But it's a modern day legend who they'd really love to see sticking on the Hoops again – Kyogo. The frontman only left in January with his £10m move to Rennes, but the Japanese ace has suffered a miserable time in France. No goals, just a handful of appearances and a new manager who clearly isn't convinced. Celtic supporters would roll out the red carpet – but they have been warned Brendan Rodgers it's not alway wise to go back. Former Liverpool and Scotland star Don Hutchison – who did two stints at West Ham – has warned against turning back the clock. Hutchison, speaking to Gambling Zone, said: 'I've not seen a load of him (in France), to be honest. I saw him when he played up in Scotland. I think he's a player that fits. He's a very good player. But it's not going his way right now, obviously, and there's a chance Celtic benefit from looking forward rather than to the past.' Kyogo might remain in the part but Hutchison insisted Hoops boss Rodgers has some big decisions to make for the future. Celts have hoovered up back-to-back Doubles but the manager has admitted he's keen to bolster his squad this summer. Hutchison said: 'That's always the dilemma, I think, for a manager when you win. I always liken it to teams, when you come up from the Championship – do you stay loyal, or do you move them on? "And Brendan's probably having that exact same conversation. Right, the players that have won us a lot, do I stay loyal? 'Character-wise, you'll know them inside out. 'But then you've got to have that foresight to think, who's going to drop off, who might be the player that goes complacent, who might be the player that over the last couple of years or months, has been the one that's just slacked off a little bit or who's just picked up one or two injuries, do I try and freshen it up with younger players? 'I'm a player that's played for 20 years in a lot of dressing rooms. And when you see a new signing coming in, it does have a bit of a weird effect in a good way. It can brighten the mood off the pitch and brighten the tempo on the pitch. When a new player comes in, he tries to impress and that alone can galvanise. "If he plays in your position, you're then trying to impress because you want to tell the boss that he's not just going to come in and take your place. The competitive edge definitely goes up a yard when new players get brought in.' Celtic are keeping tabs on Motherwell wonder kid Lennon Miller – with clubs in Europe also in the hunt. Hutchison has been keeping an eye on the emerging talent and he insisted it's vital the teenager doesn't become a squad player at his next club. He said: 'When you're someone like him who's a good young player, it's all about the games. It's about the amount of games that you play. There's a great saying: availability is the best ability. It means you've got to be fit, so you've got to stay away from injuries. 'Availability means you've got to be in the manager's plans to be starting games. Availability means you've got to be consistent enough to churn out the games. 'And when I was young, when I tried to play 10, 15 games a season, it felt great. Then you want to try and hit 25 and 30 and then you want to be durable enough to be ever-present and play every game in a season. 'Someone like Lennon Miller, it's now being consistent in your performances and the amount of games that you play, and that's what makes you fitter and stronger and better.'


BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
Swansea piecing together transfer 'puzzle'
Director of football Richard Montague says Swansea City are piecing together a transfer "puzzle" in their bid to strengthen for next have already agreed deals for winger Zeidane Inoussa and teenage striker Bobby Wales, while defender Ricardo Santos is poised to sign on a free and January recruit Melker Widell will arrive in there is plenty more work to do, with a left-sided centre-back and a defensive midfielder understood to be the club's leading priorities as things are also looking at attacking options – including Oli McBurnie – and remain interested in re-signing Lewis O' may also be further defensive additions depending on which players depart this summer, with Harry Darling's future still says Swansea have discussed a string of potential deals – and is "very confident" Alan Sheehan's new-look squad will be stronger than the one which finished last season. A move for Swansea old boy McBurnie, who is available on a free transfer following Las Palmas' relegation from La Liga, would be an eye-catching one, though much is likely to depend on whether fellow forwards Jerry Yates and Mykola Kuharevich come back into the fold in about McBurnie, who scored 26 goals in 62 appearances in his previous spell at Swansea, Montague said: "I think everybody knows about Oli and his qualities and his situation as well."He is one we have spoken about and will be a name on various lists that we have. He is clearly a very, very good player, but I'd be unwilling to say whether that's progressing or has progressed any further."In theory a lot of things are conceivable, but it depends on where you are not going to spend money elsewhere."Not necessarily talking about Oli McBurnie, but it's all a puzzle where you say how much do we value a particular player, what can he add to us, and how much of our budget should we allocate to any player?" Montague says "all options are on the table" regarding Yates, who impressed during a loan spell at Derby last season but is under contract at Swansea for at least one more year."We need to have proper conversations with him and his agent to discuss what is the best way forward for him. Nothing is decided yet," Montague situation is similar with Kuharevich, who was on loan at Hibernian in 2024-25, while goalkeeper Andy Fisher and midfielders Cameron Congreve and Joel Cotterill are also due back in Wales after loan spells away.O'Brien has gone in the opposite direction, returning to parent-club Nottingham Forest after thriving at Swansea having joined on loan in 26-year-old has expressed an interest in rejoining Swansea, but has a year to run on his contract at the City says there have been "good conversations with Forest" about the idea of O'Brien returning. "They were really good to deal with last season. They sent us a really nice message to thank us for how well Lewis did with us, which was great to receive," he added."The ball is a little bit in their court at the moment because of Lewis' contract situation. He is on a Premier League salary and there needs to be some give in some sense to make it work for us. But it's definitely an option that's still on the table."We are talking to Lewis and having good conversations with Forest. We would love to be able to do something. It's just timing and matching it all up with the financial realities."Swansea have been linked with a move for another midfielder, Lincoln City's Ethan Erhahon, and are thought to have tabled a bid earlier in the Montague has indicated Swansea will not be signing the 24-year-old, saying: "We have talked about so many players and quite a lot have got to the point where we have spoken to agents or clubs. There isn't anything concrete in that one." No interest in Franco yet - and no news on Fulton Montague, meanwhile, says there has been no interest in player-of-the-year Goncalo Franco so far this has been touted as a potential target for clubs in Europe on the back of a fine first season in Wales, but Montague said: "There is so much noise around this time of the year, which is understandable because people need things to write about."But until we have anything concrete, there is nothing for me to say about it. He has obviously had a brilliant season and we would love to keep him here, so let's hope that's what happens."Jay Fulton is another Swansea player who has been linked with a summer exit, with Plymouth Argyle mentioned as potential suitors for the long-serving Montague has suggested Sheehan's squad needs the experience of Fulton following the summer departures of old heads like Joe Allen, Kyle Naughton and Cyrus Christie."Jay did unbelievably well for us when he came into the team at the back end of the season - he gave us some great minutes and is an unbelievable character," he said."He is a senior player, which is probably lacking a bit in that age profile now with some of the key departures we had. He is an important player for us and there is no news about any offers or movement with Jay."


BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
World number one Scheffler joins Scottish Open field
World number one Scottie Scheffler has confirmed he will play in this year's Scottish Open at The Rennaisance Club in East Lothian from 10-13 means the top five players in the world rankings - and seven of the top 10 - will all be using the tournament as final preparation for The Open Championship, which takes place at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland the following Scheffler, who continued an impressive season when he successfully defended his title at the Memorial Tournament on Sunday, will now be included in one of the strongest ever Scottish Open 28-year-old returns to the Genesis Scottish Open after a tied third-place finish on his last appearance at the Renaissance Club in said he is looking forward to playing "in such a strong field", adding: "It's an event and a course I enjoy playing given we only get to play links golf a couple of times a year." The three-time major winner will join fellow Americans Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas, Northern Ireland's world number two Rory McIlroy, Austria's Sepp Straka and Sweden's Ludvig Aberg in East three most recent winners - McIlroy, Schauffele and Scotland's Robert MacIntyre - will be taking last year became the first Scot to lift the trophy since Colin Montgomerie was victorious at Loch Lomond in major winners Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick will also be among the British hopes this time.