Rangers have pulled ahead of Celtic in Elijah Just race after Jens Berthel Askou’s comments

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Credit: Imago Tue 7 April 2026 15:00, UK Rangers could now hold an advantage over Celtic in the race to sign Elijah Just after Jens Berthel Askou distanced himself from becoming the manager of the latter.Just has emerged onto the radars of both Old Firm clubs after being a standout under Berthel Askou at Motherwell this season.Celtic have been linked with a double swoop from the Fir Park club, with Berthel Askou reportedly lined up to succeed Martin O’Neill as their manager for next season.Appointing him would surely give the Hoops the upper hand in the race for Just, but the Dane’s new comments around moving to Parkhead have plunged both moves into uncertainty.Rangers’ transfer plans could benefit massively if Berthel Askou does not become Celtic’s next boss, with Just seeming likelier to make the move to Ibrox instead. 🔄 Rangers Transfer Update 🔄 Breaking news on latest signings, departures, and contract news from the Ibrox boardroom. VISIT THE RANGERS TRANSFER HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Elijah Just less likely to join Celtic as Jens Berthel Askou plays down managerial linksFootball Insider have revealed that Motherwell will accept a big offer for Just this summer, with both Old Firm sides and numerous English clubs believed to be interested in snapping him up.He registered his 14th goal contribution of the campaign against Falkirk last time out, with Berthel Askou asked about reports linking him to the Celtic job in the aftermath of that game on Saturday.Appearances29Goals7Assists7Chances created per 901.68Successful dribbles per 901.64Duels won %48.3%Fouls won per 901.96Touches in opposition box per 905.77Just’s 2025-26 Premiership statsThe Dane distanced himself from the move and insisted that he is planning for the future at Motherwell, as he said: “Look, we plan for the future.

I am relaxed about everything else. Everything we do is with a long perspective.“To go to the next level we must first have more of what we want to do set and built from the start of the season.

“Second, we need to be extremely good, and also a little bit lucky, in replacing some of the players that might leave us in the summer.”If Berthel Askou does not move to Celtic, then Just seems pretty unlikely to make that switch, especially with the Parkhead club potentially set to miss out on Champions League football this season.On the flipside, Rangers should now feel like they have a much better chance of landing the New Zealand midfielder, as Berthel Askou looks less likely to join their rivals and take Just with him.What are the latest Celtic manager odds after Berthel Askou’s comments?The Dane remains the current second-favourite to be Celtic’s next boss with one of the UK’s leading bookmakers, at odds of 3/1.Former player Robbie Keane leads the market as it stands, at odds of 13/8, as he impresses in charge of Ferencvaros.Other potential contenders include Craig Bellamy (7/1), Roberto Martinez (8/1), Steve Clarke (12/1) and Bruno Lage (16/1). Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Rangers Insider Access Get the full story from Ibrox and Auchenhowie with our dedicated expert hubs: Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Govan.