Scottish Premiership giants Rangers reportedly want to bring Kyle Bartley back to Ibrox from relegated Premier League outfit Swansea City.
In each of the last two summers, Rangers have made a bit of a mess of things when it comes to recruitment – from Mark Warburton’s influx of Premier League has-beens in 2016, to Pedro Caixinha’s ill-advised and ill-fitting imports.
But under Steven Gerrard and director of football Mark Allen, the signs are looking far more positive. Rangers have been linked with proven, top level talent like Jermain Defoe, Lucas Leiva and Martin Skrtel, as well as promising young talents like Dominic Solanke and John McGinn. And Kyle Bartley rather just about sums up a far more cohesive approach.
According to the Scottish Sun, Rangers are hoping to sign the 26-year-old Swansea City centre-back, who would walk into a backline which could be hit hard by the departure of David Bates to Hamburg.
Not only is Bartley better than the options Rangers have already, he knows Ibrox well having played 30 games for the Glasgow giants during loan spells from Arsenal between 2011 and 2012.
The only issue, however, is the fee. It is understood that Swansea want around £5 million for the 6ft 4ins stopper, the Scottish Sun adds, which might be out of Rangers’ price-range. Fortunately, however, the Light Blues are reportedly confident that they can get Bartley for half that figure.
Now, a £2.5 million deal for a defender of Bartley’s talent and potential would be Rangers’ most inspired signing in years, certainly since they returned to the top flight in 2016.
Bartley is worth double that at least in today’s market so his potential return, coupled with the free-agent arrivals of Scott Arfield and Allan McGregor, would mean Rangers have transformed the spine of their side while hardly spending a penny.
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