Rangers have more than one reason to put foot on gas for Luke Graham summer transfer
Rangers will be linked with many players ahead of the summer transfer window, but no potential signing will make more sense than the 49ers pushing for Dundee FC’s Luke Graham.
It was revealed on Tuesday that the Bears are interested in signing the defender on a permanent deal in the summer window, after leaving a good impression when playing at Ibrox earlier in the season.
Danny Rohl is currently focused on leading the Gers to the Scottish Premiership title, but the 49ers will be working closely behind the scenes on where to strengthen ahead of another push for success next campaign.
Dundee value Graham higher than the £1million fee they rejected from Championship Portsmouth in the winter window, as Rangers may have to be prepared to pay the multi-millions for his signature.
The 22-year-old has been a consistent performer at Dens Park, but there’s surely more to this interest than what’s seen on the surface.
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Nasser Djiga will return to his parent club, Wolves, following the expiration of his loan contract with Rangers at the end of the season, and it’s unlikely that the 49ers will seek a permanent signature.
John Souttar’s contract runs out at the end of May, and there is a possibility that he will not be offered new terms at Ibrox. Derek Cornelius is also on loan, but while the Bears hold an option to buy the defender, they may not take it up due to his current injury issue.
| Player |
| Nasser Djiga |
| John Souttar |
| Derek Cornelius |
| Emmanuel Fernandez |
Dujon Sterling can play as a centre-half, but his natural position is at full-back, which means Emmanuel Fernandez could be left as Rangers’ only real centre-back.
So, the prospect of signing Graham seems a real possibility, given it’s the area that the 49ers need to address the most heading into the summer.
Not only would the Scot add immediate quality to Rohl’s backline, but also a chance to progress, with the left-footed defender only in the early stages of his career.
- Read more: What Stig Inge Bjornebye has shown the 49ers will have kick-started internal talks at Rangers
Luke Graham’s stats from this season show his quality
While signing a youngster from Dundee doesn’t sound as fancy as the likes of Tochi Chukwuani and Andreas Skov Olsen, it’s these types of additions that can be game changers.
The Bears have tried to bring foreign defenders to Ibrox recently, and arguably, it has’t worked out, so going back to the basics of acquiring Scottish Premiership-ready talents may be the way forward.
Luke Graham’s stats for Dundee in the league this season, according to Sofascore:
- Games: 25
- Tackles per game: 1.4
- Interceptions per game: 1.2
- Errors leading to shots: Zero
- Average rating: 7.02
As highlighted by Sofascore, Graham’s average rating of 7.02 shows how consistent he has been over the course of the season, as he is turning into a real leader for Steven Pressley.
The Scotland U21s star looks like a born leader, and it may be exactly what Gers need heading into what will be another important season under Rohl.
For more Rangers reaction and analysis, head to Football Insider to check out the latest transfer updates.