Rangers have been told what Luke Graham thinks of moving to Ibrox this summer, as Dundee hold out for a £1.5million fee.
The Dundee centre-back has been one of the most consistently linked names with the Light Blues this summer, with technical director Dan Purdy having personally scouted him on multiple occasions as the club searched for defensive reinforcements.
However, insider journalist Alan Nixon’s latest update, shared via his Patreon, suggests the race for Graham’s signature is moving firmly away from Ibrox.
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Rangers told Graham doesn’t see Ibrox move as he weighs Portsmouth talks
According to Nixon, Portsmouth will hold talks with Graham this week as they continue their pursuit of the 22-year-old, who is available for a fee in the region of £1.5m.
Pompey are understood to be willing to push the deal through if they can convince the defender that the move is right for him.
The journalist added that Lincoln City have made a pitch to the Scot, while the Gers are among the clubs still hovering.
Asked specifically where the Ibrox club stand in the race compared to their rivals, Nixon provided a blunt response, noting that the player is not tempted by moving to Govan as a ‘cover player’.
This is a clear indication that Graham’s hesitation is rooted in concerns over his role at the Premiership club and not the club’s stature or ambition.
Meanwhile, Derby County and Stoke City are also keeping tabs on the situation, although the former’s situation is complicated by a potential takeover, and the Potters have publicly denied their interest.
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What it means for the Gers
For Rangers, the update underlines the difficulty of competing for talent when a player’s primary concern is guaranteed game time and not club prestige.
Andrew Cavenagh‘s recruitment philosophy has been built on players who can immediately contribute, but convincing Graham of that may now be an uphill battle.
Emmanuel Fernandez and John Souttar are the first-choice central defenders at the Glaswegian outfit as things stand, but with the number of games to be played, Graham can still expect to play an important role.
However, with Portsmouth moving quickly and Rangers seemingly on the fringes, the club may need to look elsewhere to fill their defensive vacancy this summer.
