Rangers close in on deal to sign ex-PL player permanently – report
Rangers are closing in on a deal to sign both Jack Simpson and Nnamdi Ofoborh from Bournemouth, according to the Scottish Sun.
The newspaper reports that initial discussions have been held about signing centre-back Simpson, 24, and midfielder Ofoborh, 21, on pre-contract deals as their contracts at Bournemouth expire in the summer.
However, Rangers are not the only team interested in Simpson. It is understood that Cardiff have had a £750,000 bid accepted by the Cherries for the former England Under-21 international.
One eye on the summer
We’re running away with it at the top of the Premiership so Steven Gerrard doesn’t need to bolster his squad too much in the January transfer window – especially with a central defender.
Simpson has found himself on the fringes of the Bournemouth squad this season with the Weymouth-born ace playing nine times in the Championship.
The defender, who played just 11 times in the Premier League before the Cherries were relegated last season, lacks first-team experience given his age.
He turned 24 last month but has only made 35 senior appearances in his entire career.
Gerrard is clearly an admirer of Simpson, though. In August 2018, the Daily Record reported that the Rangers manager wanted the Cherries centre-back on loan after Bruno Alves and Fabio Cardoso left Ibrox.
Gerrard’s wanted Simpson for some time, which offers us some encouragement about the deal but we’re definitely worried about the lack of proper game-time in his career.
Will he get that at Ibrox? Connor Goldson, Filip Helander, Leon Balogun and Nikola Katic would all be above him in the pecking order if he arrived right now and all those players were fit.
Balogun’s deal at Ibrox expires at the end of the season but there’s an option to extend that by a further 12 months so we fail to see how Simpson can make an impact.
In other Rangers news, fans are blown away by this Sky Sports journalist’s transfer update for the Light Blues.