DUNDEE UNITED have issued a hands-off warning to any clubs considering a January bid for Lawrence Shankland, Derek McInnes has admitted he may not be able to hold onto his best three players when the transfer window reopens and Manchester City would like to sign Aaron Hickey in January and then loan him back to Hearts for the remainder of the season.

Shankland to stay put

Dundee United have insisted that star striker Lawrence Shankland is not for sale at any price in the January transfer window. Sporting director Tony Ashgar said: "I don’t think there’s any price you could name for us to sell Lawrence Shankland and then not give ourselves the best chance of promotion. This club has a history of selling players at the wrong time, but Lawrence has committed to us for three years."

Katic signs new deal

Rangers defender Nikola Katic has signed a contract extension that will keep him at Ibrox until 2023. The Croatian centre-back said: "We are in a really good position the club is growing day by day first in the league and hopefully we will keep that until the end which is they key point. We are in a really good position and hopefully that will help me and my team mates to become better players."

Manchester City to 'push through' Hickey move

English Premier League champions Manchester City will make a £1.5 million offer for Hearts' Aaron Hickey in January, according to the Scottish Daily Mail (print edition). The Mail believe that Man City will loan Hickey back to the Craig Levein's side for the remainder of the season in an attempt to get the Tynecastle club on board with the transfer.

Heckingbottom rules out Barnsley return

Hibernian manager Paul Heckingbottom has ruled out a return to his former club Barnsley after Daniel Stendel was recently sacked. Heckingbottom told the Scottish Sun: "That is not for me. That’s for someone else. I’ve not been looking at names who are in for it — I’m too busy here."

McInnes braced for January bids

Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes has admitted that he may not be able to keep a hold of his three best players; Scott McKenna, Lewis Ferguson and Sam Cosgrove. With the January transfer window on the horizon, the Dons boss has accepted that the trio will eventually leave the club. He told the Daily Record: "I don’t worry about interest being shown in these players. I know if they fulfil their potential, their form and ability will take them elsewhere at some point."

Holt: I feel sorry for Christie

Livingston manager Gary Holt has lent his support to Celtic's Ryan Christie after them midfielder was on the receiving end of online abuse following his red card against Livingston a fortnight ago. Holt said: "Ryan’s a young lad learning the game, with massive potential, a star in the making, if not so already. He had a mistimed tackle and he’s getting castigated for it."

Heckingbottom expects Mathie to stay at Hibs amid Rangers interest

Hibs boss Paul Heckingbottom believes head of recruitment Graeme Mathie will stay at Easter Road - despite reported interest from Rangers. Heckingbottom said: "I’m not saying there isn’t truth in it, there is certainly some truth in the Kilmarnock thing — whether there is in the Rangers one, I don’t know. But it’s not being drummed up in any shape or form for Graeme to get a benefit out of it. He loves it here. He wants to work here."

Neilson extends Tannadice stay

Dundee United manager Robbie Neilson has told how it was an 'easy decision' to put pen to paper on a new deal at Tannadice that will keep him at the club until 2022. He said: "We are trying to build something special here at Dundee United, and if you look at where the Club was a year ago, it is night and day now."