5 Scottish Premiership players who could spark transfer window interest

The January transfer window opens on Saturday and many clubs will be looking to augment their squads or bring in some transfer cash.

Motherwell striker Tony Watt could be on the move amid reports he has already signed a pre-contract with Dundee United.

Here, we look at five other players in Scotland who could be in demand.

Nathan Patterson

The Rangers and Scotland right-back was linked with a move to Everton in the summer with reports claiming two Goodison bids were turned down. However, it appears interest from Rafa Benitez remains and it has been widely reported that the Toffees are set go back in for the 20-year-old, who remains behind captain James Tavernier in the pecking order at Ibrox.
Patterson has made only two cinch Premiership starts this season and a decent offer might prove too tempting for the Scottish champions.

John Souttar

It seems a matter of when not if the 25-year-old Hearts and Scotland centre-back signs a pre-contract with another club. English Championship clubs Stoke, Blackburn and Middlesbrough have been linked with Souttar and Rangers and Celtic have also been credited with interest. Souttar, signed from Dundee United in 2016, has overcome three serious Achilles injuries in his career and forced his way back into the Scotland squad in November after a three-year absence.

 Ryan Hedges

Aberdeen boss Stephen Glass confirmed Blackburn counterpart Tony Mowbray had spoken to him about Hedges in the summer and the Lancashire club will reportedly return with another offer. The 26-year-old Wales international, signed from Barnsley in 2019, is out of contract at the end of the season. Glass admitted that the Pittodrie club had made Hedges a “brilliant offer, but it doesn’t look like he’s going to sign it, which his his right”.

Jamie McGrath

The 25-year-old attacking midfielder almost moved to Hibernian on transfer window deadline day last summer before a snag hit the deal. Saints boss Jim Goodwin later offered the Republic of Ireland international a club-record contract but admitted that a bigger club would likely “blow us out of the water”. After McGrath made the step-up to international football, Goodwin expects bigger clubs to come calling than those who showed an interest in the summer.

Connor Goldson

The Rangers centre-back will be free to talk to other clubs as his contract enters its final six months. The defender, who has been become a key player at the Govan club since arriving from Brighton in 2018, has kept his cards close to his chest on the issue of a new Ibrox contract. However, many Light Blues fans would not be surprised to see their vice-captain sign a pre-contract. With  left-back Calvin Bassey recently deputising in central defence, Rangers would need to have a replacement lined up if they were to cash in during January.