Rangers transfer news as Kevin van Veen update emerges on Boxing Day
Scott Burns has responded directly to speculation linking Rangers with a January transfer for Kevin van Veen, suggesting such reports are “wide of the mark”.
Speculation emerged on Boxing Day that the Light Blues were interested in signing the Dutch forward when the transfer window opens in the new year as they look to close the gap to Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership.
Philippe Clement needs a new number nine given the current injury crisis at Ibrox, while van Veen is keen to return to Scotland. However, Scottish Express reporter Burns has suggested that the Boxing Day talk of a potential transfer is “well wide of the mark”.
Writing on his personal Twitter account on Wednesday (27 December) he said: “Lots of speculation linking Kevin van Veen with Rangers yesterday. That seems to be well wide of the mark.”
Bit of a shame
Rangers have spent a lot of money attempting to find a number nine capable of finally replacing Alfredo Morelos as a consistent source of goals at Ibrox, but for whatever reason they have been reluctant to sign players proven in Scotland.
Van Veen may not be the most attractive of options and he certainly wouldn’t get supporters off of their seats as often as the Colombian did, but he has shown previously that he is capable of finding the net north of the border.
During the 2022/23 campaign, the 32-year-old managed to score 25 goals in 38 Premiership matches for Motherwell. If he can rediscover that scoring touch and utilise the creative talent around him at Ibrox, he could be a real difference-maker in the second half of the campaign.
Rangers don’t have a number nine capable of scoring 20 league goals a season and while Danilo and Cyriel Dessers have shown signs of improvement under Clement, they are by no means the finished article.
A move for Van Veen would have likely been the difference-maker in the title race this season. Hopefully, the speculation isn’t as wide of the mark as initially reported and the move could happen in January.
In other Leeds United news, David Edgar has been left with his head in his hands after what Dessers did against Motherwell