Duncan Castles has claimed on the Transfer Window podcast, that Rangers are set to miss out on Pedro Chirivella, despite serious interest in the Liverpool midfielder.
The transfer expert claims that Steven Gerrard is a big admirer of the 22-year-old but that the Gers haven’t been able to move for him due to the uncertainty caused by the global health crisis.
It was reported over the weekend that Nantes were ready to offer Chirivella a three-year deal [Daily Mail], and Castles believes the Ligue 1 side are among the favourites for his signature.
“There is significant interest in him, particularly at Rangers who of course are managed by Steven Gerrard, who knows Chirivella from his time coaching the younger players at the club,” he said on the Transfer Window podcast.
“They would like to sign him, I’m told, but I think this is a mark of where Rangers are at the moment.
“Even though this would be a free transfer because he would be moving across national borders, even though the wages I think are going to be a maximum of £15,000 per week, probably less, Rangers haven’t been able to complete that deal and that I’m told is regardless of the fact that Gerrard is pushing very heavily to sign the player and install him in Rangers’ midfield for next season.”
He goes on to assert that due to the pandemic, Rangers have “had to aggressively rethink their transfer policy for the coming season I’m told and can’t do deals of any great financial significance.”
Verdict
Chirivella is a technically gifted central midfield player who impressed in several of his six cup appearances for Liverpool this season, while he even captained a second-string Reds side in the League Cup quarter-final against Aston Villa.
Given that he’s out of contract this summer and that Gerrard has worked with him before, it’s entirely plausible that he’s a transfer target.
The Gers already have strong competition for places in central midfield but they often lacked energy in that area following the winter break.
If Castles is to believed, it looks unlikely that the club will be able to bring Chirivella in, though.
Bears will be hoping the line about the club being unable to do ‘deals of any great financial significant’ is an exaggeration, but if the player is being offered the security of a three-year deal with an established Ligue 1 side, his mind may already be made up.
