Charlie Nicholas gives his view on Jake Hastie’s potential Rangers switch

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Jake Hastie is reportedly set to leave Motherwell for Steven Gerrard’s Glasgow Rangers in the summer transfer window.

Charlie Nicholas has backed Motherwell winger Jake Hastie to seal his protracted move to Rangers and says the 20-year-old is a risk worth taking for the Ibrox outfit, while speaking to the Daily Star.

Hastie has been a revelation since he returned to Fir Hill from a loan spell at lower-league Alloa Athletic in the January transfer window, scoring six goals in 12 Scottish Premiership games with his hammer of a left foot reflecting his adoration of Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale.

And the youngster is expected to become a Rangers player when his Motherwell contract expires this summer. The Express reported last week that The Gers are close to signing Hastie on a pre-contract agreement and they will have to pay a compensation fee of just £300,000.

Nicholas, who shone in two spells at Rangers’ Old Firm rivals Celtic, believes Steven Gerrard’s side could be about to pull off a decent addition.

“Jake Hastie should tie up his move to Rangers from Motherwell this week and I don’t blame him for making the leap,” said the former Scotland international.

“He is not the finished article, but he must attack the move believing he can make it into the first-team.

“All Rangers are doing is giving him a chance to fulfil his potential at a big club. For a few hundred grand in compensation cash it’s a gamble worth taking by Rangers.

“The rest is down to the player. He must work harder than ever and trust in his talent and see where it takes him.”

Hastie could be the second highly-rated winger to seal a move to Rangers this year, the Glasgow giants having agreed a deal to bring in Jordan Jones from Kilmarnock in the summer too.

Hastie or Jones will be tasked with replacing Ryan Kent, who has shone during a loan spell from Liverpool. The Echo reports that Jurgen Klopp’s side will demand £12 million for Kent this summer, a fee Rangers simply cannot afford.