Wolves defender and reported Rangers target Dion Sanderson is reportedly undergoing a medical at Birmingham City ahead of a £2 million move to the Championship outfit.
Young, hungry, versatile and technically-gifted; the Midlands-born 23-year-old certainly ticked a lot of boxes as far as Mick Beale is concerned.
But, in truth, a move to Ibrox for Dion Sanderson has not really been on the cards for a while now. Rangers showed an interest earlier in the year, according to the Scottish Sun, but it’s no coincidence those reports dried up once the Glasgow giants agreed a deal to bring in Dujon Sterling on a free transfer from Chelsea.
Sterling, after all, can perform many of the duties Rangers would have asked of Sanderson; slotting in at right-back or at centre-half, while providing cover for James Tavernier (should he stay in the face of interest from Saudi Arabia) and Connor Goldson.
One-time Rangers target Dion Sanderson staying in England
According to the Daily Mail, Sanderson will now make the short trip from Wolverhampton to Birmingham instead.
After impressing on loan at the Blues in 2022/23, Sanderson returns for a fee of around £2 million. The tough-tackling 23-year-old is a major coup for a Birmingham side who finished 17th in England’s second tier too, especially considering that Sanderson also had interest from Premier League newcomers Sheffield United and a Sunderland side who reached the play-offs last term.
“I’m certainly hopeful,” Birmingham coach John Eustace told the Birmingham Mail earlier this month when asked about the prospect of Sanderson returning to St Andrews.
“I know Dion has got a lot of admirers out there. We are in the pecking order to try and sign him. But I do know there’s other clubs that will want to sign him as well.
“Dion knows what I think of him. I’ve said on a number of occasions in interviews how much I like him as a player. And how much I respect him.
“If we can get him that would be fantastic.”
Rangers’ priority now appears to be a left-sided centre-half, rather than a right-sided one like Sanderson. The Gers have been linked with Sanderson’s former Birmingham partner Auston Trusty. Though Nottingham Forest’s Jonathan Panzo appears the most likely addition.
