Ex-Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty claims he’s snubbed Kilmarnock

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Rangers allowed Kyle Lafferty to leave Ibrox last month.

After leaving Rangers last month, striker Kyle Lafferty has now told the Daily Record that he has rejected a move to Kilmarnock – but admits staying in Scotland would be ‘ideal’.

The Gers re-signed Lafferty from Hearts last summer, luring the giant striker back to Ibrox six years after he decided to leave for Sion.

Lafferty had impressed with Hearts, hitting 20 goals in 48 games for the club before making his emotional return to Ibrox.

On paper, it looked like a smart move. Rangers had a first-choice striker in Alfredo Morelos, loanee Umar Sadiq was raw and inexperienced, so landing a veteran of Scottish football in Lafferty seemed like the perfect move.

However, the 31-year-old struggled last term, scoring just four times in 20 games as he was pushed down the pecking order by the arrival of Jermain Defoe.

Steven Gerrard allowed Lafferty to leave Rangers for the second time last month, paying up his contract to let him go and dictate his own future as a free agent.

That’s not how Lafferty or Rangers wanted his second spell at Ibrox to end, and he has now confirmed that he has snubbed a move to Scottish Premiership rivals Kilmarnock.

Lafferty has admitted that staying in Scotland is the ‘ideal’ move for him, but he just couldn’t agree a move to join Angelo Alessio’s Killie side, meaning he’s still on the market.

“I spoke to the manager and Massimo. I looked at it because the manager said a lot of positive things about how he wants Kilmarnock to be this season,” said Lafferty. “He seems to know what he’s talking about, but unfortunately we couldn’t agree anything. I think he was looking at different things to what I was.“But I wish them all the best. It’s a team that are very difficult to play against. We only won once against them last season when I was at Rangers and I’m sure they will be up fighting for the European places again this season.”

“I’m having conversations with my agent all the time to keep on top of things. There’s still two-and-a-half weeks left until the windows close around Europe, so I’m in no hurry. Staying in Scotland would be my ideal situation, but sometimes things don’t work out,” he added.