Scott Arfield and Steven Davis exits likely as Rangers close in on Joe Rothwell deal
Steven Gerrard’s squad at Rangers is a bloated one.
In the summer, the Gers manager added Nnamdi Ofoborh, Juninho Bacuna and John Lundstram to his midfield options without selling any, or loaning out any, of his first-team players in that area of the pitch. Bongani Zungu’s loan did end but he was so useless and barely played that it hasn’t really made any difference.
It has left Gerrard with an issue – but that hasn’t stopped the former Liverpool midfielder from eyeing up yet more signings in his old position.
According to TeamTalk, Rangers are on track to secure a pre-contract agreement to sign Blackburn midfielder Joe Rothwell at the end of the season.
Rothwell, 26, will see his contract at Ewood Park expire next summer unless he agrees a new deal between then and now.
He can also be approached by teams outside of England on a pre-contract basis, meaning that Rangers can technically agree to sign him as soon as he enters the last six months of his existing agreement at Blackburn.
TeamTalk claims that is what is likely to happen.
Newcastle, Leeds, Burnley, Southampton, Brighton and Crystal Palace have all reportedly shown an interest in Rothwell but it’s the Scottish champions who are right now leading the race.
Rothwell, formerly of Manchester United, is reportedly set on making the move to Ibrox next summer and while it’s good to see the Gers making plans for the future, it does raise questions surrounding our current midfield options.
After signing Ofoborh, Lundstram and Bacuna in the summer, Gerrard not only has those three as central midfield options at Ibrox but he also has Ryan Jack, Steven Davis, Glen Kamara and Scott Arfield while Joe Aribo and Ianis Hagi can play there too.
Rothwell, an attack-minded central midfielder, will only compound what is already quite a big issue by arriving and that means exits are bound to be on the cards.
Kamara has attracted attention in the transfer market but the obvious exits have to be Davis and Arfield, who are both in the final year of their contracts at Ibrox.
Davis will turn 37 in January while Arfield celebrates his 33rd birthday on November 1. Neither are getting any younger and both are playing less frequently for Gerrard now.
Arfield’s only played nine times this season for a combined total of 314 minutes and playing just three times in the Premiership. All three appearances have been as a substitute and he hasn’t even made Gerrard’s last three matchday squads.
Davis is being rotated more regularly now with Lundstram in good form. It seems inevitable both of them will move on and that’ll open up a decent space for Rothwell to come in if TeamTalk’s report is correct.
In other Rangers news, Michael Stewart exploded on Twitter after a tweet by a Gers fan tipped him over the edge.