Rangers linked midfielder Daniel Johnson bagged a pair of assists for Preston on Tuesday night in a 3-2 win at Bournemouth in the EFL Championship.
The Gers were heavily linked with the 28-year-old during the summer window but did not meet Preston’s valuation, which was reportedly upwards of £4m [Daily Record].
The club then successfully brought in Bongani Zungu on an initial loan from Amiens and the midfield area is now well-stocked.
However, given that Johnson’s contract expires in the summer, he’ll be free to talk to other clubs in January and the Daily Record recently claimed that Rangers could come back in.
Prior to Tuesday night’s trip to Bournemouth, the Jamaica international had started the season slowly. A niggling injury caused him to miss out on the first five matches of the Championship campaign and in the nine games since his return to the team, he’d scored just once and failed to notch an assist.
He was at his creative best at the Vitality Stadium, though, as Preston secured all three points.
Johnson set up the opening goal of the game, peeling off to the left wing during a counter-attack before fizzing in a cross that was turned home at the back post by Tom Barkhuizen.
Ex-Celtic attacker Scott Sinclair doubled the visitors’ advantage with a long-range effort before Johnson darted in behind the Cherries defence and picked out Patrick Bauer with a cross from the right, with the defender making it 3-0.
Former reported Rangers target and Atletico Madrid loanee Rodrigo Riquelme was in action for Bournemouth and the hosts pulled two goals back in the final 20 minutes.
Preston were able to hold on, though, and the impressive Johnson was instrumental to their win.
