Mark Warburton’s Glasgow Rangers side have endured a mixed start to the new season.
Rangers manager Mark Warburton
With Joey Barton’s Ibrox career in some doubt (via The Sun) while Niko Kranjcar has struggled until recently, Rangers boss Mark Warburton may be looking at bolstering his midfield options during the January transfer window.
But while some may think that Toumani Diagouraga may be one of the first names on Warburton’s list of targets – with the Frenchman playing under Warburton at Brentford, and subsequently being linked in both the last January (via BBC Sport) and summer windows (via Scotsman) – it is perhaps his Leeds teammate that the Gers should be looking at.
Leeds United’s Toumani Diagouraga has previously been on Rangers’ radar
Like Diagouraga, Luke Murphy is well out of favour at Elland Road, and HITC Sport reported in August that Garry Monk was ready to let the former Crewe man leave.
Having made just one League Cup appearance this term, it appears that Monk has not changed his mind regarding the 26-year-old’s future. And with Eunan O’Kane, Ronaldo Vieira and Liam Bridcutt just three of the names ahead of him in the pecking order, it seems that Murphy will have little chance to win Monk over.
Leeds’ Luke Murphy and Brighton’s James Wilson
While Murphy’s days at Leeds appear to be numbered, he certainly boasts the quality needed to be a success with the Light Blues.
He can provide the defensive stability that Warburton may have hoped Barton would bring, but also has flair going forward, which could be useful if he is deployed in a more advanced role.
And with Leeds seemingly leaving the door open for Murphy to move on, it seems unlikely that the Whites will be looking for an astronomical amount for his signature, especially if Monk would appreciate moving the player off the wage bill.
Warburton’s best signings have arguably been the ones who have arrived at Ibrox with a point to prove, and Murphy surely has that.
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