George Overhill

Wed 17 May 2023 10:10, UK

There is confidence that Rangers can secure Jack Butland’s signature but there is still “a bit to go” for the deal to be done, Jonny McFarlane reports.

Michael Beale is moving fast with his summer rebuild, with two signings already completed with “certainty” according to Rangers Review journalist McFarlane, after Dujon Sterling was added to Kieran Dowell.

Butland could be the third wrapped up soon, despite a report in the Daily Mail on Monday (15 May) suggesting the price of a move for the ex-England international had pushed the Gers onto Ivor Pandur as an alternative.

McFarlane said on Rangers Review’s YouTube channel on Tuesday (16 May, 16m): “As for Sterling, Sterling I think is a done deal alongside Kieran Dowell. That’s the only two that I can say for certainty that are done.

“I know a lot of people have said Butland is done but that’s not my understanding. I think that’s still got a bit to go, though I think people are quite confident that they can secure his signature.”

Ahead of the game

Rangers aren’t hanging around, and with the amount of business they need to do this summer it is a good thing too, as there would be nothing worse than the club scrambling to fill gaps once next season has already started.

Instead they are already ticking boxes before the current campaign is finished by the looks of things, and have apparently added options at full-back and in midfield.

Robby McCrorie continues to make the goalkeeper position less pressing with his performances in the first team, but with Allan McGregor going and Jon McLaughlin possibly following it will require at least one through the doors in goal.

If Butland arrives it is surely as starter, so if the final push can’t get that over the line then the current Rangers man could take over as number one and Pandur may be the new back-up after scouts went to watch him in the Eredivisie.

There is still a long way to go and a lot of pieces that have to fall into place before the club can start to feel confident about an assault on next season, but early signs are positive and if things continue in this vein Beale could have his squad settled early enough to get a solid preseason in with most of his options.

It is bound to be in attack where the headline arrivals come in, particularly with Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent set to leave big holes, but if depth and answers can be locked up elsewhere then attention can turn to the forward positions sooner rather than later.

In other Rangers news, an easily-completed free transfer could be in the offing after a player was spotted at Ibrox in the past week.