Rangers in constant talks to sign £2m SPFL star

Will it be sixth time lucky for Glasgow Rangers, following the appointment of Derek McInnes?

The five previous permanent managers before him have all struggled to replicate the success of Steven Gerrard in 2020/21, the Gers having again come up short in the Premiership title race last time out.

So too did McInnes at Tynecastle, it must be said, although the experienced Scot oversaw a remarkable campaign to steer Hearts to within a whisker of glory, deservingly picking up the PFA Scotland Manager of the Year award.

After years of speculation, the 54-year-old is finally in the door at Ibrox, a stark contrast to the previous, youthful appointments of both Russell Martin and Danny Rohl.

The task now is for the Gers hierarchy to assemble a squad capable of finally getting over the line again, with the first move of the McInnes era potentially already in the works.

Rangers ready to make first offer after McInnes appointment

A key issue for McInnes and co to solve this summer is the lack of depth at centre-back, with Nasser Djiga and Derek Cornelius set to return to their parent clubs.

John Souttar has already penned an extension, although talk is ramping up regarding a marquee exit for Emmanuel Fernandez, despite the Nigerian having only arrived from Peterborough United last year.

Signed for a fee of around £3.5m, the suggestion is that the 24-year-old could fetch ten times that amount, amid significant interest from Bayer Leverkusen.

With the Glasgow giants potentially seeking a replacement, TEAMtalk are reporting that the club are ready to make a bid for Dundee’s Luke Graham.

As per the report, the Gers have been in constant talks regarding a deal for the 22-year-old, with Celtic and Hearts also in the frame for a player who is attracting interest from as many as 40 clubs.

The young Scot currently has just a year left on his existing deal at Dens Park, with prior reports indicating he could fetch around £2m.

Why Graham could represent the perfect Fernandez replacement

The ideal scenario would be for McInnes to fashion a new-look central defensive pairing of Graham alongside Fernandez, although if the latter man is to depart, bringing in the Dundee sensation as a direct replacement could represent a real coup.

Of course, Fernandez did enjoy a fine first season at Ibrox, particularly following Rohl’s arrival in October, having notably scored six times in all competitions.

He’s a towering, monster of a centre-back at 6 foot 5, yet the chance to cash in for a potential club-record fee is surely too good to turn down, even after such a brief stay at the club.

Indeed, Fernandez wasn’t necessarily perfect either, part of a side that shipped at least two goals in each of the final seven Premiership games, a key factor in the swift collapse of their title bid.

Selling the former Posh star for close to £35m, while bringing in Graham for just £2m, would represent a masterstroke, with the younger man having been so impressive again under Steven Pressley’s watch.

Tipped to be a potential Premier League player later down the line by Pressley, Graham is a towering, elegant figure in his own right, a proven figure at Premiership level.

Last term, for instance, he scored and assisted three goals from centre-back, while his defensive record was also in a similar ballpark to that of Fernandez.

In all, he averaged 2.7 tackles and interceptions per game, averaged 6.5 clearances and won 67% of his total duels, having been particularly strong in the air with 70% of his aerial duels won.

For comparison, Fernandez also shone across those metrics, averaging 2.9 tackles and interceptions and 6.6 clearances per game, while winning 66% of his total duels and 71% of his aerial duels.

The likeness between them should seemingly make it a no-brainer for McInnes and co to allow Fernandez to depart for a mammoth fee, while signing Graham for a relative bargain price to replace him.

There’s no question that Rangers’ defensive record needs to improve if they are to kick on again next season, after shipping more goals than any other member of the top four, with adding Graham to the mix potentially the perfect way to aid their cause.