Transfer Rumours and Deals - Winter Window 2016/17

[Bearman 9]

Rangers confident over new contract for Barrie McKay: Mark Warburton thinks deal is close

 

RANGERS boss Mark Warburton was pleasantly surprised there were no last-ditch offers for winger Barrie McKay.

 

Warburton now hopes an agreement can be thrashed out to keep the 22-year-old beyond the 18 months remaining on his contract.

 

While the manager acknowledged Rangers are a selling club, there were no bids for McKay despite rumours of RB Leipzig lining up a £6million swoop.

 

Warburton said: “I wouldn’t have been shocked if someone had come in because he is a talented player.

 

“I am sure every club in the Premier League is saying the same thing. When I look at some of the prices being paid for defenders – £7.5m, £8m, £10m, £15m – at what stage do you sit and think, ‘Is there value elsewhere?’.”

 

Rangers, who visit Hearts on league duty tonight, have opened talks with McKay over an improved deal.

 

Warburton said: “I am sure the discussions will go on between the powers-that-be and the representatives. That should reach a fairly swift conclusion, I’d like to think.

 

“We just had Barrie in the office saying that he has to work even harder and push again. He can go as far in the game as he wants to.”

 

Warburton signed keeper Jak Alnwick from Port Vale as a replacement for Wigan-bound Matt Gilks.

 

He also captured Emerson Hyndman and Jon Toral on loan during the window and there has been criticism of his failure to land players on long-term deals.

 

While fans want Rangers to compete with Celtic on the field, there is a huge gulf in finances off the park.

 

Warburton is focused on taking the club back into Europe next season and rebuilding slowly but surely.

 

He hopes everyone at Gers, directors included, remain realistic in their ambitions when it comes to challenging their Old Firm rivals.

 

Warburton added: “We’re in a different pond to them right now and our job is to get into the same pond.

 

“It won’t happen right now, it won’t happen by the end of the season.

 

“Our job is to highlight progress we’ve been making, set targets and achieve them. But the targets have to be realistic.

 

“It’s a club who have been promoted. Yes, we have a fantastic history, but we are where we are and I hope we can communicate that.

 

“The worst thing Davie Weir and I can do is set unrealistic targets.

 

“But getting into Europe is a realistic target.”

 

Rangers head to Tynecastle two months after they were beaten 2-0 there in Robbie Neilson’s last game in charge of the Jambos.

 

But with nine new signings in January and injuries to John Souttar and Callum Paterson, Ian Cathro’s side will bear little resemblance to the one which put Rangers to the sword in December.

 

Warburton said: “My initial glance at their signings is that there’s some good quality but maybe lacking some match fitness. We’ve got guys working to see what we can find out.

 

“It’s about Rangers performing and dealing with what we have to deal with.”

 

http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/761489/Rangers-news-Mark-Warburton-Barrie-McKay

 

Patience is a virtue lads!

Edited January 31, 2017 by Bearman

[Tannochsidebear 2,316]

There are only two windows to pick from. When we have so many poor players in our first 11, and Europa qualifiers in mid-June, we HAD to make a mark in this window.

 

That doesn't necessarily mean spending cash we don't have, we have to be cuter than that, but four windows in to the Warburton era and it now stands at 1 success and 3 failures. 3 successive bad Windows since McParland came on board as well is not painting him in a good light either.

 

If Warburton genuinely thinks there is no better centre half than Kiernan in the whole of world football for the money we are paying him, he should consider going back to the City. 3 Windows have come and gone and Rob remains first choice centre back. It's absolutely staggering.

[Tannochsidebear 2,316]

Miller would be a first pick anywhere in scotland playing like this.

 

Several places down south to.

 

You need to use better bait for your fishing rod! It did make me laugh though so cheers!

[Bearman 9]

If there's a better striker than Kenny Miller out there for what we can afford then Warbs has missed the boat. The way Miller is playing for us right now is probably the best of his career.

 

If he continues this form from now until the end of the season and is part of a Scottish Cup winning team he'll collect the SPOTY award...if he doesn't win the Scottish Cup Scott Brown will get the POTY.

[forlanssister 3,050]

So the window has now slammed shut.

 

We have swapped reserve keepers, and brought in 2 midfielders on loan.

 

Still no centre half, still nobody to score goals.

 

Pathetic, absolutely pathetic. Someone somewhere has failed our club big time this month.

 

I am deeply depressed at the thought of watching the next 4 months still with Kiernan and Miller as first picks in our team.

 

Nobody forces you to watch it.

[JFK-1 1,675]

The business this window is good enough to secure the Euro spot we need. The Summer window is always a better time to conduct business with more contracts expiring around that time and clubs more willing to sell. A win tonight should more or less virtually guarantee a Euro spot.

[BeardyGuts 6]

Thought i would share this since after seeing Hogan move to Villa for 12m i thought i would check how MW other transfer dealings got in in his time at Brentford.

Like a few others i think some of the signings he has made the past 2 windows are a bit suspect... after seeing this eitherMW is incredibly lucky or he is bloody good at picking out a future player. I know it means nothing to us right this minute but should give confidence that he knows what he is doing.

 

Andre Gray - Bought from Luton for 500k - SOld to Burnley 1 year later for 10.5m

Moses Odubujo - bought from Leyton Orient for 1m - Sold to Hull 1 year later for 4.25m

Scott Hogan - bought for 750k from Rochdale - sold to Villa 2 years later for 12m

James Tarkowski - bought from Oldham for 500k - sold to Burnley 2 years later for 3.4m

 

In total MW brought in 13 players in his time at Brentford. 4 were undisclosed fees so i cant see how much he spent on them (McLeod was meant to be 850k) , but 3 of them are still at the club and the 1 that left was sold to Sheffield United after being brought in from Oldham so i think its fairly safe to say they at least broke even.

The other players not listed were brought in on a free and still at the club or brought in on a free and left for free.

 

Anyway from a transfer spend of 3.6m he brought in 30m ultimately to Brentford... that is one hell of a return.

The money we paid for Garner we could afford all the players that MW brought in at Brentford... so looking in the lower leagues of England there is certainly good finds within our budget.

[Cdoug29 0]

I've been a critic of MW this season along with most, however I accept perhaps my expectations have been too high and them pushing the boat out with Rodgers. I still don't think he is getting the best out of these players and they are under performing, I am hoping he gets it right, but have reservations that he hasn't got the magnitude of how we must beat them and win every game. You would think Weir would have that drilled in! That said his signings have been slow to get to grips. I expect big things from Windass (in shows the signs, needs to tidy up) and Rossiter (when fit) so loan deals for the midfield are ok with me just now.

[jhunter 0]

So the window has now slammed shut.

 

We have swapped reserve keepers, and brought in 2 midfielders on loan.

 

Still no centre half, still nobody to score goals.

 

Pathetic, absolutely pathetic. Someone somewhere has failed our club big time this month.

 

I am deeply depressed at the thought of watching the next 4 months still with Kiernan and Miller as first picks in our team.

 

why though?

 

what more can be achieved other than gaining Europa League entry and finishing 4th will see that hapen

 

ALL cash will be needed for next season's signings.

[der Berliner 3,255]

Perhaps we kept the chest shut because we need to gather all cash to keep a certain US chap on for next season?

 

While it is all fair and well lamenting the "lack of business" and "not substituting" some of the not-so-good chaps (which is rather subjective a point of view), people should - not least when checking the amount of money being flung about - ask themselves: where would these better players come from? No flippant reposte a la "I'm not paid to do this" / "I'm no scout" required. If people want better players, they will sure have certain players in mind. And if that is the case, go ask yourself if such players would want to come, are available and if so, at what price.