Norwich City’s Kieran Dowell has been linked with Rangers but a recent scouting trip may have been to run the rule over Chris Willock.
Michael Beale was spotted in the stands in the 1-1 draw between QPR and The Canaries last week with reports suggesting that former England Under-21 international Kieran Dowell was the man being watched for Rangers.
A natural number eight, the 25-year old would be a welcome addition on a free transfer if we could move someone like Glen Kamara in the opposite direction.
He’s still not the dominant defensive midfielder that Rangers need in front of the back four, but it would be a start.
It was a convenient fixture for the Gers gaffer to attend though, for more than one reason.
Are Kieran Dowell and Chris Willock on Michael Beale’s watchlist?
Unfortunately for the Gers gaffer, Dowell wasn’t even on the bench due to injury and Chris Willock only stepped foot on the pitch during the warm up.
What he did see was Rangers-linked striker Lyndon Dykes putting his side in front, ironically, scoring against another player mooted for an Ibrox move.
Angus Gunn could do little to prevent his fellow Scotland international from opening the scoring but it is easy to see why Michael Beale was in attendance.
Willock might not have got on but he is the player, out of those who were in the squads, who would probably be best suited to Rangers.
Michael Beale has already said that he thinks Chris Willock can go to the “next level” and hopefully that is with Rangers, the gaffer also claimed that he is “one of the better players in the league”.
With Ryan Kent expected to leave in the summer, signing a versatile playmaker with his ball carrying skills and ability to beat a player 1v1 will probably be a priority and Willock might be available.
Out of contract at the end of the season, the 25-year old was a regular under Beale at the beginning of the campaign and the Gers boss will know exactly what Willock is capable of.
The Rangers boss also hinted at looking to bring players that he had worked with before to the club, it doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together for this one.
Dowell might be the name currently in the headlines, but I don’t think it will be long until we see another from this Championship fixture also make the back pages.
