Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has admitted that the club are on the verge of securing a new midfielder amid links to Juninho Bacuna as he talked up the club’s summer transfer business.
When asked about the Gers summer window efforts – where they’ve really only added John Lundstram and Fashion Sakala to the ranks – the Ibrox gaffer was decidedly upbeat.
When asked if he was disappointed in the business to date, Gerrard said:
“No, not at all.
“We’ve identified targets that we are looking at, to try and bring in. There’s a lot of hard work behind the scenes to make that happen.
“We’ve had some progress behind the scenes and when there’s something to announce, we will give you that information.
“But we are delighted to get John in, and Fashion, and hopefully we can do a little bit more business before the window shuts.”
That more business appears to be starting with a midfielder whom Gerrard claims the Gers have made “strong” progress with.
Questions have now immediately moved on to who the Ibrox club are imminently about to bring on board.
Two names are on the lips of Gers fans this evening – long-term target Joey Veerman and Huddersfield star Juninho Bacuna.
That attacking midfielder who can shoot from distance is perhaps something we’ve long missed and both have superb technique and appear to fit the bill.
As things stand, the more likely of the two appears to be Bacauna, as journalist Alan Nixon divulges details of the deal and insists it’s at an advanced stage. More HERE.
Between the two options, the most glaring difference is the valuations of both players and the reported transfer fees.
Following Rangers’ exit from the Champions League, meeting the reported £8m for Veerman always appeared unlikely, even if the Glasgow Times reported on an initial £7m package.
Nixon has however claimed that the Bacuna deal will not be at any great expense with Spanish-language Scottish football site Rincon Escoces claims the deal is around £1m.
However – and this is where things get interesting – the same site claims that the “high price” of Veerman remains an issue but should this drop, “anything could happen”.
“Rangers’ priority to reinforce midfield has always been Joey Veerman (Heerenveen), but his high price has made Ibrox’s men focus their attention on Juninho Bacuna,” reads a tweet sent out by the account.
“If Veerman’s situation changes in the next few hours, anything could happen.”
Rangers fans might be getting excited about another signing joining the ranks but here’s what Steven Gerrard had to say about the future of one player linked with an exit.
