Rangers have received a heavy blow in their pursuit of Luke Graham, with the Dundee defender setting his sights on a move elsewhere.
Graham had been firmly on the Light Blues’ radar throughout the season, with technical director Dan Purdy personally attending matches to run the rule over the 22-year-old.
The interest is serious, with many expecting Rangers to make Graham one of their next signings, alongside James Penrice, after striking a deal to acquire Lawrence Shankland.
The prospect of one of the most highly-rated centre-backs in Scottish football joining the Ibrox rebuild this summer has genuine appeal, but Graham has other ideas.
How much should Rangers pay for Luke Graham? 🤔
His contract at Dundee runs out next summer…
Portsmouth steal march on Rangers in Luke Graham chase
According to The News, Graham’s preference is to test himself in the Championship, a decision that would effectively end the Gers’ hopes of signing him this summer.
The Portsmouth-based newspaper reported that Pompey have now moved ahead of Rangers in the race to sign the Scotland Under-21s international.
John Mousinho’s side pushed hard for Graham in January when a £1.5million bid was knocked back by Dundee.
The appeal of working under Mousinho, who has a strong track record of developing young talent, is understood to be a significant factor in the youngster’s thinking.
However, he is not short of options in the Championship, with Derby County, Norwich City, Stoke City, Lincoln City, Charlton Athletic and Preston North End registering their interest.
With as many as 43 clubs, including Schalke, Valencia and Red Bull Salzburg, said to be keen on securing Graham’s services, it is evident that there is a lot of demand for a player who has just been called into Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad for a pre-World Cup training camp.
Which area should Rangers prioritise on strengthening this summer? 🤔
Andrew Cavenagh has made some bold promises!
Where Rangers go from here
For Rangers, the news is a genuine blow, as Graham ticked every box in Andrew Cavenagh‘s stated recruitment criteria – Scottish, proven in the Premiership and with the leadership qualities Danny Rohl has been demanding.
His own manager, Steven Pressley, has tipped him for the Premier League, and losing out to Championship opposition will sting.
The setback leaves the Ibrox outfit needing to reassess their recruitment plans for the centre-back position.
With James Penrice still understood to be a target at left-back, attention may now turn to identifying an alternative centre-back option.
The summer transfer window is long, but missing out on Graham will hurt.
