Rangers blasted by ex-player as £60,000-a-week update emerges in Celtic hunt for Wolves attacker Daniel Podence
Derek Riordan predicts Celtic to beat Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title this season amid speculation over a deal to sign Wolves attacker Daniel Podence.
The Scottish Sun reported on 15 August that Celtic are in the hunt to sign the 27-year-old winger, who is set to quit Wolves this summer.
Riordan suggests he’s concerned about Celtic’s ability to match Podence’s £60,000-a-week wages [Daily Record] but he believes that his former club’s business compared to Rangers’ this summer makes them title favourites again.
“That would be a brilliant signing. I think he would be really good in Scotland. I don’t think they need Fraser,” Riordan told GlasgowLive. “They’ve already got Liel Abada out on the right side. He’s an Abada-type player but I think Podence is excellent.
“I think he’s decent, he’s great on the ball and tricky. He can play in the hole and can also cut in from the outside. I just don’t know what type of salary he will be on at Wolves.”
The ex-Hibs man added: “I caught the end of the Celtic game on Sunday [vs Aberdeen]. I still think they are stronger than Rangers. It will take a wee bit of time for all the players to bed into how Brendan Rodgers wants them to play.
“Rangers are already behind after a bad result at Killie. You can’t afford to do that when you are at the Old Firm. The fans don’t accept that. You need to win. That is the pressure of playing at Celtic or Rangers.
“I fancy Celtic [to win the title]. From what I have seen of Rangers I don’t think there is much progress in my eyes. Looking at it from a football fan I don’t think they are as strong as Celtic. I think Celtic have a lot more overall strength.”
No chance
Celtic aren’t paying £60,000-a-week and a transfer fee to sign Podence from Wolves.
It’s not that he’s not a good player, he’d be decent in the Scottish Premiership. It’s just that’s a lot of money for a team up here to be paying and probably nowhere near what most Old Firm players are earning.
So far this season, it doesn’t look as though Michael Beale has made much of a difference at Rangers.
It’s early days but losing to Kilmarnock on the opening day was dire and the performances against Servette have been no more than so-so.
Jack Butland won us that tie without the need of extra time and penalties so Rangers are relying on a goalkeeper to get them wins.
How is that any different to what we had already?
Beale’s signings, except for Butland, have a lot to do to show they’re good enough for the Gers while Celtic know that they already have a squad that’s capable of beating us to silverware.
In other Rangers news, Beale’s side are reportedly lining up a move for another English defender.