Rangers may have lost the battle over the potential signing of Daniel Johnson but it appears as though the Ibrox club could win the war if a recent report is anything to go by.
According to Football Insider, Preston North End are far from happy that the 28-year old’s head was turned by the prospect of a move to the Scottish Premiership table toppers and the attacking midfielder has only just returned to the starting line-up.
In what was a well publicised saga during the summer, the Championship outfit were looking for a figure in the region of £4million to secure the services of Johnson who had scored 12 goals and created eight assists in the previous season, however, Rangers were only prepared to pay half of that with the player now able to discuss a pre-contract move in little over a couple of months time.
Preston are now said to be looking to get him tied down on a longer deal, but if Steven Gerrard continues to be interested in making him an offer then they may be fighting a losing battle, after all, in the week in which Johnson returned to action – by scoring a penalty against QPR – Rangers played Standard Liege in the Europa League.
Do Rangers need another attack minded midfielder?
Yes
No
Midfield is an area in which Gerrard has recruited well in the past, that the talents of Steven Davis, Scott Arfield, Glen Kamara and Joe Aribo cost under a combined £500k is testament to this, for perspective, almost what the club made in selling Greg Docherty to Hull City in the close season.
As the Old Firm derby showed, recruitment is about quality and getting the right player for the right price, not how much they cost.