Hearts move a step closer to new ownership with verbal agreement; Celtic chase Rhys Williams and Filip Djuricic; Walter Smith and Dick Advocaat back Barry Ferguson for success at Blackpool, plus all the latest football news and gossip Celtic in £1.5m bid for defender Rhys Williams Middlesbrough defender Rhys Williams is the latest players to be linked to a move to Celtic, according to various newspaper reports. The Australia international is attracting interest from Swansea, and it was previously thought that a deal between Middlesbrough and the Premier League side would be tied up last week. Celtic have been made aware that a deal could still be on to bring the £1.5 million-rated defender to Parkhead. Welsh-born Williams, 25, can play either as a centre-half, right-back or deep-lying holding midfielder. Serbian Filip Djuricic a £6m Celtic target Benfica midfielder Filip Djuricic is being trailed by Celtic with a view to a £6 million bid. The attacking midfielder is struggling to settle in Portugal since moving from Eredivisie side Heerenveen last summer. Djuricic, who is 22 next week, has been the subject of two scouting attempts by Celtic representatives - but each time they flew to Portugal, Djuricic was left on the bench. However, Celtic have made their interest known to Benfica. Celtic are rumoured to be interested in Romanian Gabi Iancu, who plays for Steaua Bucharest, as a fall-back option. His agent, Victor Bacali, said that exploratory talks with Celtic had taken place. Dick Advocaat, Walter Smith back Ferguson for management Former Rangers managers Walter Smith and Dick Advocaat have backed Barry Ferguson to make a success of his new appointment as interim Blackpool manager. Ferguson, who replaces the sacked Paul Ince, has the right qualities to be a manager, according to AZ Alkmaar manager Advocaat. I brought him into the Rangers team when he was just a young boy. You could see he had excellent technique and was able to play one-touch football. He could really see the game and that is a tremendous quality. I didn't think then about him as a future coach because he was so young, but they say midfielders make the best coaches. Of course, I would agree, having played there myself! Meanwhile, Smith said: "I think that it's the natural progression for him. Barry himself has always wanted to into management. It's an aspect of the game he's been interested in. So am I surprised he's going down this road? No, I can't say I am. The Sun, Daily Mail