Wouter Vrancken is on the verge of being appointed as the new head coach at Heart of Midlothian, according to multiple reports in the Scottish press. The 47-year-old Belgian stepped down from his role at St Truiden this summer after steering the club to a third-place finish in Belgium's Pro League, and is now the leading candidate to take charge at Tynecastle.

The Hearts Standard reports that Vrancken was interviewed alongside former AZ Alkmaar manager Maarten Martens and Rene Hake, who has coaching experience at both Feyenoord and Manchester United. The Daily Record goes further, claiming the appointment is effectively done.

Braga transfer talks under way

Meanwhile, Lyon are in negotiations with Hearts over Portuguese forward Claudio Braga. The Tynecastle club are understood to be seeking between £8m and £10m for the 26-year-old, with Foot Mercato placing that figure at approximately £8.6m. Lyon's interest comes after losing Brazil international Endrick, who returned to Real Madrid following his loan spell.

Hearts are also looking to strengthen their own attacking options, with the club reportedly willing to spend around £1.3m to sign Zwolle striker Koen Kostons. The 26-year-old joined Zwolle from Paderborn last summer. Defender Michael Steinwender, meanwhile, is in discussions with German second-division side Bochum over a potential move, with Hearts expected to turn a profit on the fee they originally paid Varnamo for him 18 months ago.

Rangers demand £20m for Raskin

At Ibrox, Rangers are bracing for bids for Nicolas Raskin this summer and intend to hold out for around £20m for the 25-year-old Belgium midfielder. Clubs from the Premier League, Serie A, and the Super Lig are all understood to be monitoring the situation.

Rangers are also working to bring back Czech Republic winger Vaclav Cerny on a permanent basis for approximately £5m. The 28-year-old is reportedly open to departing Besiktas, and the Glasgow club are considered well-placed to secure the deal. Separately, Tottenham Hotspur have approved another loan exit for 18-year-old winger Mikey Moore, with Rangers among those hoping to take him back to Ibrox.

Elsewhere in Scottish football

Middlesbrough have been linked with Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan, though Teeside Live suggests the 23-year-old could attract more attractive offers from West Ham United and Southampton. Celtic face competition from Eintracht Frankfurt and Elche in their pursuit of Astana midfielder Ivan Basic, valued at around £2m. The agent of left-back Marcelo Saracchi has confirmed Celtic have not yet moved for a permanent deal following his loan from Boca Juniors, though other clubs remain interested.

Scotland striker Che Adams has emerged as a target for Venezia, but Torino are demanding more than the £3.5m on the table from their Serie A rivals for the 29-year-old. Bolton Wanderers are in advanced talks to sign Liverpool midfielder Luca Stephenson, 22, who spent last season on loan at Dundee United. Bournemouth defenders Owen Bevan and Harold William are on trial at Dundee, while Sheffield Wednesday are considering a move for Scotland international Callum Paterson following his impressive stint at MK Dons.