[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"header-nav":3,"footer-nav":29,"article-rangers-mccrorie-celtic-smajlovic-scottish-transfer-window":82,"category-counts-nav":98,"related-rangers-mccrorie-celtic-smajlovic-scottish-transfer-window":108},[4,8,11,14,17,20,23,26],{"label":5,"to":6,"exact":7},"Home","\u002F",true,{"label":9,"to":10},"World Cup","\u002Fworldcup",{"label":12,"to":13},"Standings","\u002Fstandings",{"label":15,"to":16},"Football","\u002Fcategory\u002Ffootball",{"label":18,"to":19},"Basketball","\u002Fcategory\u002Fbasketball",{"label":21,"to":22},"Tennis","\u002Fcategory\u002Ftennis",{"label":24,"to":25},"F1","\u002Fcategory\u002Ff1",{"label":27,"to":28},"Long Reads","\u002Fcategory\u002Flong-reads",{"brand":30,"columns":32,"tagline":80,"copyright":81},{"description":31},"In-depth sports journalism covering football, basketball, tennis, F1, and beyond. Daily analysis, long reads, and expert opinion.",[33,51,59],{"heading":34,"links":35},"Leagues",[36,39,42,45,48],{"label":37,"to":38},"Premier League","\u002Ftag\u002Fpremier-league",{"label":40,"to":41},"La Liga","\u002Ftag\u002Fla-liga",{"label":43,"to":44},"NBA","\u002Ftag\u002Fnba",{"label":46,"to":47},"Formula 1","\u002Ftag\u002Fformula-1",{"label":49,"to":50},"Champions League","\u002Ftag\u002Fchampions-league",{"heading":52,"links":53},"Content",[54,56,57],{"label":55,"to":16},"Analysis",{"label":27,"to":28},{"label":58,"to":16},"Data & Stats",{"heading":60,"links":61},"Company",[62,65,68,71,74,77],{"label":63,"to":64},"Terms of Service","\u002Fservice",{"label":66,"to":67},"Privacy Policy","\u002Fprivacy",{"label":69,"to":70},"Editorial Policy","\u002Feditorial",{"label":72,"to":73},"Contact Us","\u002Fcontact",{"label":75,"to":76},"About Us","\u002Fabout",{"label":78,"to":79},"Website Disclaimer","\u002Fdisclaimer","Built for the love of sport","© SportPulse. All rights reserved.",{"title":83,"slug":84,"category":85,"badge":86,"author":87,"excerpt":88,"date":89,"readTime":90,"image":91,"imageAlt":83,"tags":92,"body":96,"_path":97},"Rangers Close In on McCrorie Return as Celtic Push Smajlovic Bid","rangers-mccrorie-celtic-smajlovic-scottish-transfer-window","football","Transfers","Marcus Wright","Rangers eye a reunion with academy product Ross McCrorie while Celtic up the ante for Sandefjord's Zinedin Smajlovic.","2026-06-24 07:38:45","4 min read","https:\u002F\u002Fichef.bbci.co.uk\u002Face\u002Fstandard\u002F976\u002Fcpsprodpb\u002Fdab7\u002Flive\u002F8c276460-6f98-11f1-b1db-af71d47507d6.png",[93,94,95],"Scottish Premiership","Scottish Football","Transfer Window","## McCrorie Coming Home\n\n**Rangers** are reportedly closing in on a deal to bring **Ross McCrorie** back to Ibrox from **Bristol City**. The move would mark a homecoming for the **27-year-old**, who graduated from the Rangers academy before departing for Aberdeen in **2020** and later joining the English Championship club.\n\nMcCrorie was once considered one of the brightest prospects to emerge from the Rangers youth system. He made his senior debut as a teenager and featured across multiple positions, most notably in defensive midfield and at centre-back. His versatility and physicality made him a fan favourite during his initial spell.\n\nBut the path back to Ibrox hasn't been straightforward. McCrorie's time at Bristol City has been hampered by inconsistency and injury setbacks, limiting his ability to lock down a regular starting spot in the Championship. A return to familiar surroundings could be exactly what his career needs.\n\n## Why Rangers Want Him Now\n\nThe timing is significant. Rangers have been looking to bolster their defensive depth heading into a season that will demand squad rotation across domestic and European commitments. McCrorie's ability to slot into multiple roles makes him a practical addition rather than a luxury signing.\n\nHe knows the club. He knows the league. He knows what playing at Ibrox demands. That kind of institutional knowledge is worth its weight in gold when you're trying to build cohesion quickly.\n\nRangers have struggled at times with depth in central defence and the holding midfield role. McCrorie addresses both positions in a single signing. If the deal crosses the line, it could prove to be shrewd business at what is expected to be a modest fee given his contract situation at Ashton Gate.\n\n## Celtic Turn Up the Heat on Smajlovic\n\nAcross Glasgow, **Celtic** are not standing still. Reports suggest the Hoops have **increased their offer** for **Sandefjord** midfielder **Zinedin Smajlovic**, signalling serious intent to get the deal done.\n\nThe Norwegian club are understood to be holding firm on their valuation, but Celtic's willingness to improve their bid indicates the player is firmly in their plans. Smajlovic has caught the eye with his performances in the **Eliteserien**, and Celtic's recruitment team have clearly identified him as someone who can contribute immediately.\n\nCeltic's transfer strategy in recent windows has leaned toward identifying value in Scandinavian leagues, where talent can be acquired without the premium prices attached to players in Europe's top five divisions. Smajlovic fits that profile. The question is whether Sandefjord will budge or whether Celtic will need to push even further.\n\n> \"We don't wait for the perfect moment. We build the shape that creates the moment.\" — a philosophy Celtic's recruitment team have embraced.\n\n## The Title Race Fuels the Arms Race\n\nWhat makes these parallel transfer pursuits so compelling is the backdrop. The **Scottish Premiership title race** is driving both clubs to strengthen aggressively, and neither wants to be caught short when the decisive months arrive.\n\nRangers and Celtic are engaged in a perpetual arms race on and off the pitch. Every signing is scrutinised not just for its standalone value but for how it measures up against what the other side of the city is doing. McCrorie returning to Rangers while Celtic push for Smajlovic is the latest chapter in that ongoing chess match.\n\nBoth clubs understand that marginal gains matter. A versatile defender here, a dynamic midfielder there. These aren't marquee signings that generate global headlines, but they are the type of moves that can swing tight title races.\n\n## Hearts Watch Kyziridis Interest Closely\n\nMeanwhile, at **Tynecastle**, **Heart of Midlothian** face a different kind of challenge. Winger **Alexandros Kyziridis** has attracted attention from **top Greek clubs**, raising the prospect of losing one of their more creative options.\n\nKyziridis has shown flashes of quality in maroon, and Greek sides clearly believe he can make an impact back in his home country. For Hearts, the dilemma is familiar for clubs outside the Old Firm: how do you hold onto your best players when bigger markets come calling?\n\nIf a significant bid arrives, Hearts will have a decision to make. Sell and reinvest, or dig in and hope the player stays focused. Either way, the interest alone is a testament to Kyziridis' development in Scottish football.\n\n## What It Means\n\nThe Scottish transfer window is heating up with purpose. **Rangers** are banking on McCrorie's familiarity and versatility to shore up their squad for the battles ahead. **Celtic** are doubling down on their Scandinavian scouting pipeline with a raised bid for Smajlovic, refusing to take no for an answer.\n\nAnd Hearts, caught between ambition and pragmatism, must navigate the reality of being a selling club when the vultures circle.\n\nOne thing is clear: the title race isn't just fought on the pitch. It starts in the boardroom, in negotiations, and in the willingness to move decisively. Both halves of Glasgow appear ready to do exactly that.","\u002Farticles\u002Frangers-mccrorie-celtic-smajlovic-scottish-transfer-window",[99,100,101,102,85,103,104,105,106,107],"analysis","basketball","cricket","f1","general","golf","mma","long-reads","tennis",[109,122,131],{"id":110,"stem":110,"path":111,"title":112,"category":85,"badge":113,"badgeType":114,"author":87,"authorRole":115,"authorInitials":116,"date":117,"readTime":118,"image":119,"imageAlt":112,"tags":120,"excerpt":121},"gordon-strikes-first-england-argentina-2026-world-cup-semi-final","\u002Farticles\u002Fgordon-strikes-first-england-argentina-2026-world-cup-semi-final","Gordon Strikes First: England Seize Control Against Argentina in Atlanta","Match Report","tag","SportPulse Contributor","MW","2026-07-15 21:01:16","6 min read","https:\u002F\u002Fichef.bbci.co.uk\u002Face\u002Fstandard\u002F976\u002Fcpsprodpb\u002F6fa3\u002Flive\u002F1d6788d0-808b-11f1-926f-c90d1bcfbc84.jpg","World Cup, England, Argentina","Anthony Gordon's opening goal puts England ahead against Argentina in a tense 2026 World Cup semi-final clash in Atlanta.",{"id":123,"stem":123,"path":124,"title":125,"category":85,"badge":55,"badgeType":126,"author":87,"authorRole":115,"authorInitials":116,"date":127,"readTime":118,"image":128,"imageAlt":125,"tags":129,"excerpt":130},"norway-spidercam-controversy-england-bellingham-equaliser-world-cup","\u002Farticles\u002Fnorway-spidercam-controversy-england-bellingham-equaliser-world-cup","Spidercam Shadow Hangs Over England Win As Norway Exit","category","2026-07-12 02:31:34","\u002Fimages\u002Farticles\u002Fnorway-spidercam-controversy-england-bellingham-equaliser-world-cup.webp","World Cup, England, Norway","Norway's World Cup elimination marred by bitter disputed equaliser as players convinced Spidercam cable interference was missed.",{"id":132,"stem":132,"path":133,"title":134,"category":85,"badge":86,"badgeType":114,"author":135,"authorRole":136,"authorInitials":137,"date":138,"readTime":118,"image":139,"imageAlt":134,"tags":140,"excerpt":141},"kane-contract-city-rebuild-chelsea-chavarria-transfer-rumors","\u002Farticles\u002Fkane-contract-city-rebuild-chelsea-chavarria-transfer-rumors","Kane Commits to Bayern, City Eye Overhaul, Chelsea Hunt Chavarria","James Chen","Senior Football Analyst","JC","2026-06-29 20:17:53","https:\u002F\u002Fichef.bbci.co.uk\u002Face\u002Fstandard\u002F976\u002Fcpsprodpb\u002Fdf67\u002Flive\u002Fa6772f10-73f0-11f1-8e1d-bbbb1017d210.png","Bundesliga, Premier League, La Liga, Champions League","Bayern lock down Kane, Manchester City plot a squad-wide rebuild, and Chelsea circle Rayo Vallecano's rising left-back."]