Rangers deadline day hinges on Ben Davies exit after Michael Beale transfer update
Rangers won’t be making any incoming signings “without Ben Davies leaving” before the deadline, according to The 4th Official.
The online source reported via Patreon on 1 September that the centre-back’s departure is the only development that will see the Gers make a signing before the window shuts, after Michael Beale had shared a transfer update in his pre-Old Firm press conference.
The Rangers boss revealed he has wanted a centre-back, and while the club got a “long way down the line” for a left-footed one previously the club had been priced out as he went for “too much money” to the Premier League.
Auston Trusty had been linked earlier in the window after a strong long at Birmingham City but was signed from Arsenal by Sheffield United.
Harry Souttar has been repeatedly named as the last Rangers target before the deadline and wants to join the club to play alongside his brother John, but without Davies going it appears it won’t happen.
Deadlock
It is pretty difficult to force a player out who was signed only a year ago if he wants to stay and fight for his place, especially if there isn’t huge interest in taking him him.
Davies has been okay if unspectacular but if it is hardly disastrous for him to stay in Beale’s squad, even if it means Souttar doesn’t come in.
Since Leon King is also now set to stay despite considering various loan opportunities [Sky Sports, 1 September] it is going to be too crowded to add another at the position, with Leon Balogun also signed this summer.
Pairing the two Souttar brothers would have been an interesting idea but if the numbers don’t work then there isn’t much to be done about it at this late stage.
It has been a hugely eventful transfer window this summer, and on paper it looked like it had largely been successful given the manager got most of the targets he wanted.
After the success of the first two men he brought in during the winter – Todd Cantwell and Nico Raskin – hopes were high that the rest of his signings would also impress, but so far the jury remains out.
The embarrassing failure to qualify for the Champions League after being thrashed by PSV, following an uninspiring start to the season, has brought up a lot of concerns, and without a win against Celtic next up they won’t be going anywhere soon.
In other Rangers news, an English giant made an approach to sign an unhappy Gers man during the window.