Angelo Alessio aims to keep stars at Killie

Kilmarnock boss Angelo Alessio has said he is looking to keep his top players at the club at the end of the transfer window.

The summer window closes at the end of the month and, with Celtic having sold Kieran Tierney to Arsenal, Neil Lennon has been linked with Killie left-back Greg Taylor. However Alessio said he was more concerned to add players to the squad rather than letting his top players go.

Ahead of his team’s League Cup tie at home to Hamilton this weekend, the Italian said: “In the next two weeks I don’t think this player can go to other teams. I’ve read about Greg but I think they are just rumours.

“I don’t think [the club would sell him] because the club and I want to keep the best player in our team. “We need to add other players up front but this is a very difficult market because other teams want the same players. Maybe next week we’ll have some players.”

Celtic have been hit by the news that goalkeeper Scott Bain has been ruled out for up to two months with a hand injury with Craig Gordon set to start for the Hoops in their cup tie at home to Dunfermline this weekend.

Celtic will take on AIK for a place in the Europa League group stages after dropping out of the Champions League in midweek, losing 5-4 on aggregate to Romanian side CFR Cluj. The Swedish side confirmed their place after drawing 1-1 with Sheriff Tiraspol, winning the tie 3-2 on aggregate. The first leg will be in Glasgow next Thursday.

Celtic, having won the treble of the Scottish Premiership, League Cup and Scottish Cup for the last three years in a row, are 2.15 to win the League Cup while they are 1.36 to win the Scottish Premiership. Celtic are 1.05 to win the cup tie on Saturday with Dunfermline 23.00 and the draw is 12.00.