RANGERS legend Derek Johnstone has sent a bold warning to Old Firm rivals Celtic: Don’t bet on beating Gers to Scott Allan.

It emerged yesterday that the Parkhead club were in talks with Hibs and their 23-year-old midfielder about a possible switch, with it understood an offer of cash plus players has already been tabled.

The move from the Premiership champions comes just over a week after Rangers had a third bid of around £300,000 turned down by the Easter Road club despite Allan handing in a transfer request in an attempt to force a move to his boyhood heroes.

The lure of top-flight and potentially Champions League football on offer for the former West Brom man, who is currently in his final year of his current deal at Hibs, is sure to be an attractive proposition.

But despite Celtic’s attempt to hijack a move west to Glasgow, DJ told SportTimes that even if a deal is agreed between both clubs he does not believe Allan will sacrifice the chance of playing at Ibrox next season for a move to Parkhead.

He said: “I think the player has said himself he wants to play for Rangers.

“Celtic can make a move for him and it would be interesting. If they offered for him what the Easter Road club are looking for then I think they’d agree to sell Scott. At that point all he has to say is ‘No thanks, I’ll wait until January 1 and sign for Rangers’.

“We don’t know what the young fella is thinking. Hibs would much rather sell to Celtic, of course they would, but this is down to the player. If he wants to go, he’ll go, if not then he’ll stay and probably sign for Rangers in January.

“The simple facts are you need three things: A buying club, a selling club and a player who wants to go. Two out of the three and it will never happen.

“We don’t know if an agreement has been reached but Scott has already made it clear where he wants to go so I’d find it strange if he turns around and goes to Celtic.

“They are the better side at the moment, of course they are. They have everything going for them, are aiming to get into the Champions League.

“But when Rangers want you and you want to go there because they are your boyhood heroes, I think the odds would say to me that he’ll still go to Rangers.”

DJ is not surprised that Celtic have shown an interest in Allan given his superb form for the Hibees last year.

However, he has his reservations how the ex-Dundee United man fits in to Ronny Deila’s plans.

“It’s a wee bit naughty at times, this is when the bad side of me comes out,” said Johnstone.

“It doesn’t surprise me Celtic have put a bid in for him because he has turned out to be a really talented player again.

“I can understand why they want him because the last thing they want is for Rangers to get another good player if they are to come up next year. I can understand Celtic thinking ‘if we can pay what they want for him then fine we’ll take him into our squad’.

“Now if they need him in their squad is a different matter. Celtic have so many midfielders that I’d be surprised if they found a place for him, but to keep him away from Rangers it wouldn’t surprise me.

“You don’t want your opposition, hopefully opposition competing against Ronny Deila’s team next season, to have another good player in the side.”