Scottish Premiership giants Rangers reportedly wanted to hand Crystal Palace’s James McArthur his dream Ibrox chance last summer.
Crystal Palace appear to be in dire straits right now. A 2-0 defeat away at Everton on Sunday means the pressure is rising on Roy Hodgson after a run of just two wins in nine games that leaves the flightless Eagles hovering two points above the relegation zone.
So while James McArthur is still one of the first names on Hodgson’s team-sheet, starting all nine league games in 2018/19, you wonder whether last summer was the perfect time for a fresh start.
According to The Mail, Rangers were hoping to lure the former Hamilton prospect back to Scotland at the end of last season. And it is well documented that McArthur is a boyhood Gers fanatic.
The report, however, added that the Scotland international wanted to stay in the Premier League for the time being.
But surely fighting for a historic title north of the border, with the club he has supported since childhood nonetheless, would have been a more enjoyable challenge than attempting to keep Crystal Palace’s heads above water.
Rangers have looked much improved since Steven Gerrard took over at Ibrox, playing with belief, confidence and character for the first time since they were demoted to the fourth tier in 2012.
A 4-1 win away at Hamilton kept Rangers in touching distance at the top and they have been very impressive in Europe too. McArthur could have been a key player in the Rangers revolution.
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