Emerson Hyndman is set to join Rangers – but he could have been lining up for Celtic this season.
According to STV, Bournemouth midfielder Emerson Hyndman is set to join Rangers having arrived in Glasgow to complete his medical – but it all could have been so different last year.
Hyndman, 20, played 28 times for Fulham, scoring just the once before heading to Bournemouth after his Fulham contract expired at the end of last season.
Emerson Hyndman
The United States international – who has two senior caps for his country – was signed as one for the future, meaning he has only started one competitive game this season, and that came in Saturday’s 3-0 FA Cup defeat to Millwall.
Now, Hyndman is heading to Rangers on loan until the end of the season, as Mark Warburton looks to strengthen his midfield with Niko Kranjcar ruled out until the end of the season with a serious knee injury.
USA’s Emerson Hyndman in action with England’s Ruben Loftus Cheek
Hyndman’s move to Glasgow comes just eight months after Celtic were believed to be keen on signing him, as the Daily Record reported in May 2016 that the Bhoys were keen to land him when his Fulham deal expired.
Celtic did end up raiding Fulham for Moussa Dembele, as they lost out to Bournemouth in the race for Hyndman’s signature, when they would have had to pay just £200,000 in compensation.
Hyndman finally arrives in Glasgow having been given glowing references in recent years; his former Fulham boss Felix Magath told the club’s official website in 2014 that Hyndman was similar to Andrea Pirlo due to his ability to pass the ball from deep, whilst ex-USA manager Jurgen Klinsmann told The Telegraph just months later that the midfielder is ‘phenomenal’.
With such great reviews, Rangers will be hoping that Celtic’s loss is their gain, and the midfielder will now have the chance to show Brendan Rodgers what he’s missing, even if it’s only a loan deal.
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