Crystal Palace’s James McArthur kills off Rangers’ hopes of free-transfer deal

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Scottish Premiership giants Rangers have been tipped to bring James McArthur to Ibrox from Premier League outfit Crystal Palace.

James McArthur will not be joining his boyhood club Rangers on a free transfer this summer – according to the man himself.

The Mail stated in April that Rangers were hoping to lure the former Hamilton midfielder to Ibrox this summer with reports suggesting that the Scotland international was out of contract at Crystal Palace and therefore available for absolutely nothing.

But speaking to the FYP podcast, ran by a popular Crystal Palace fanzine, McArthur confirmed that he does indeed have two years remaining on his deal at Selhurst Park.

“I’ve already got a contract, I signed a four-year contract two-years ago,” the former Wigan Athletic favourite said.

Now this puts Rangers’ interest in a completely different light. A deal for McArthur always looked difficult despite his boyhood allegiance to the Glasgow giants as The Mail added that he could prefer to remain the Premier League during the peak years of his career.

And now that is has been revealed that the 30-year-old will not be a free agent this summer, it seems unlikely that Rangers could afford a transfer fee for a player proven in the top flight of English football and with another two years on his current contract.

Fortunately, however, Rangers have already secured one Premier League midfielder for next season, Sky Sports claiming that Scott Arfield will join when he leaves Burnley.