Jim Duffy has claimed that Rangers are interested in a possible move for Hibernian defender Ryan Porteous.

The Scotland international is out of contract at Easter Road in the summer and he has knocked back a new deal, so he will be moving on from Edinburgh.

It remains to be seen where Porteous will end up and his future was a talking point on last night's edition of Clyde Superscoreboard.

One fan suggested that Celtic should look to sign the 23-year-old before Duffy offered a conflicting argument. 

He explained: “Not to throw cold water on Davie’s suggestion (Porteous joining Celtic) because I agree with it, but I have heard that there is a little bit of a suggestion that he may be going across the road to their greatest rivals.

"So, I have heard that, whether there’s that much in it but that’s something that’s in the air on the football grapevine should we say.”

Porteous has made over 150 appearances for Hibs after joining the club as a youth player. 

The Edinburgh club were keen for him to extend his stay in the capital, but despite offering a "highly-improved new deal", Porteous has stated that he will be moving on.

 Hibs boss Lee Johnson said: "The fact is, Ryan is not signing a new contract.

"We have offered a fantastic contract, a really big one for the football club and in my eyes a contract that should have been offered two and a half years earlier for a player of that quality.

"We can't do any more in terms of what we've done, the conversations have been good but he's good, high profile, and he is a young player on a free.

"I've got no issue with Ryan at all. He turned down the best contract we could offer and is seeking pastures new.

"I think potentially a January sale would be the best idea if we realise the fee, because at that point you can reinvest the money back into the club.

"That doesn't necessarily mean a replacement for Ryan but we do need to put that money back in.

"If I was a Championship manager, and I have been in the past, he is the type of player I would be looking at. I know what wages the clubs pay, and they are high.

"Add in fact that you have an agent who probably hasn't had an income source from the likes of Ryan in the past and is seeing an opportunity to help Ryan and get him to where he believes he should be. This is unfortunately the nature of the beast."

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