Former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard wanted to sign Hibs striker Kevin Nisbet in the summer, a report in the Athletic has claimed.
The Liverpool legend has the Ibrox club’s short-term plans up in the air after leaving the Gers job for Premier League Aston Villa last week.
It’s left plenty scratching their head as to why with the Gers gaffer yet to give a clear and succinct reason as to the reasons over his move from Birmingham over Glasgow.
Everything from Premier League prestige to family benefits have been mooted with some even touching on Gerrard’s frustration over a lack of transfer investment.
This is a vein of thought mostly linked around comments Gerrard made after the Ibrox club were beaten 1-0 away to Sparta Prague in the Europa League.
“We’ve been short in the two Europa League games, but at this level – which is improving year in, year out – if we want to keep growing and going to the next level we need to spend big money in transfer windows. It’s as simple as that,” said Steven Gerrard [Rangers].
“To compete against the teams we’ve got to spend big money.
“In the last two windows we haven’t spent a penny. So, there has to be some realism there as well.
Steven Gerrard: “we have to spend money to compete”
“To compete with these teams and to beat them on their own patch, we have to spend money to compete at this level.
“There needs to be a little bit of common sense when looking at this from the outside.”
This is a sentiment which is made worse by the claims regarding Nisbet in the Athletic, which follow on from earlier suggestions from Herald journalist Hugh MacDonald regarding the interest.
That report claims that Steven Gerrard was frustrated with the situation after taking “a liking” to Nisbet because “the funds were simply not there to make a move happen”.
Scotland star Nisbet, 24, is a key player for Hibs and this isn’t the first time Rangers have been linked to the forward.
The Gers were reportedly tailing the player way back in his Dunfermline days [Glasgow Times] and more recently have been linked by the Daily Record.
According to the Daily Mail, the Hibees expect £4m to sign the striker and Rangers are already well-stocked up front.
The search goes on for the man to replace Stevie G at Ibrox with one Ibrox legend being linked with a return after a Dutch coach was ruled out of the running.
