One time Rangers target, Kenny McLean, has revealed how close he came to a move to Ibrox in 2018 as the Norwich City midfielder opened up on his departure from Aberdeen.
Speaking to the Open Goal podcast and reported by The Scottish Sun, McLean denied that he was ever given an offer to join his boyhood heroes with recent speculation linking Steven Gerrard with a move for the £3m rated Scotland international.
“There was talk a couple of times about Rangers but nothing ever materialised for me. Nothing was ever in front of me.
“Even when I was out of contract at Aberdeen, I had six months left on my deal and there were talks but nothing too big to be honest with you. Nothing for me to get excited about because there was nothing ever in front of me.
“I don’t know if it was Graeme Murty who was in charge at the time I was leaving Aberdeen, they didn’t look to have any stability at the club. Obviously since Gerrard has come in he looks to have changed that.
“The points difference is still big but there’s no doubt they’re better and the club’s in a better place.”
With hindsight, McLean would’ve been a decent addition when he left Aberdeen with Gerrard’s midfield frequently operating with Andy Halliday, Ovie Ejaria and Lassana Coulibaly in his first season.
Rangers now have a raft of technically gifted midfielders and have shown in Old Firm fixtures and the Europa League that they are more than capable of mixing it when faced with decent opposition.
There was an accusation thrown at the Gers that a lack of physicality in domestic fixtures was the reason that they failed to control games they were leading or struggled to dominate against “lesser” teams and McLean has shown in the Premier League that he can mix physicality with skill against some of the continent’s finest midfielders.
However, Norwich would now be demanding a decent fee given McLean’s international status and the fact that he is playing for a top flight side – which could price him out of a move to Ibrox – there is also the issue that Gerrard, arguably, has better players at his disposal – splashing out on a player who wouldn’t improve the starting XI is not what is required this season as Rangers look to put an end to Celtic’s domestic dominance.