Rangers and Celtic eye free transfer battle for Kilmarnock loanee Will Dennis from Bournemouth
Rangers are “keeping close tabs” on Bournemouth keeper Will Dennis as his contract is set to expire in the summer, according to the Daily Record.
The paper reported via their website on 20 December that the “impressive” on-loan Kilmarnock man is also a target for Old Firm rivals Celtic, with both basing a move for the 23-year-old on a potential departure from their current squad.
Dennis has started every SPFL game so far this season under Derek McInnes as Killie are heading towards the New Year in fifth.
Rangers and Celtic are currently caught up in the ongoing dispute over away fans at Glasgow derbies ahead of the visit to Parkhead on 30 December, but could now be set for a transfer battle immediately after.
With Dennis’ deal at Premier League Bournemouth, where he hasn’t made a first-team appearance, up in the summer he can negotiate a cross-border free move from next month.
Head to head
Unless somebody offers big money to tempt Rangers then Jack Butland is the undisputed starter at Ibrox for the foreseeable future.
But with question marks behind him on both Robby McCrorie and Jon McLaughlin, with the former previously linked to a move in the summer and the latter likely on the way out when his own contract expires in the summer, a low-cost acquisition of a player proven in the SPFL could make a lot of sense.
If Celtic are also on his case then that could well increase the interest in bringing him to this side of Glasgow rather than let a solid, young option fall into the hands of the Light Blues’ rivals, although their interest would require Benjy Siegrist to leave.
Barring an imminent change of circumstances at Bournemouth then it surely makes sense for Rangers to make an approach in January to gauge Dennis’ interest in an Ibrox switch, and what it might cost contract-wise.
McLaughlin, 36, could feasibly be offered a one-year extension as a third-choice but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see one of him or McCrorie, 25, leave in the summer.
If Philippe Clement is interested in landing Dennis as a replacement then Rangers need to be on their toes or else risk losing him Parkhead.
And whether McInnes would be in the race to keep the Cherries man at Rugby Park, where he would likely be able to offer continued first-team football, is likely another consideration for the man who has recorded seven clean sheets so far this term.
In other Rangers news, Chris Jack has named the “obvious” candidate to be included from Ibrox in a potential Lawrence Shankland swap deal.