Norwich City scout Joe Stewart could become Rangers’ new Director of Football – but what does this mean for Steven Naismith?
Mark Warburton’s disastrous recruitment encouraged Rangers to target a Director of Football
Three months after Mark Warburton and talentspotter Frank MacParland were ushered out of the Ibrox exit, Rangers are still on the lookout for a transfer market guru to avoid repeating the mistakes of the previous regime.
And, after trying and failing to lure Southampton’s Ross Wilson or Stuart Webber, the brains behind Huddersfield Town’s success, it appears that Rangers have turned their attention to a new candidate.
The Daily Record report that Joe Savage, a respected figure behind the scenes at Norwich City, is the new name in the frame.
Laying the foundations
Savage earned a reputation for utilising his foreign contacts effectively at Carrow Road, bringing the likes of Nelson Oliveira, Ivo Pinto and former Celtic target Mitchell Dijks to Anglia.
Norwich City pulled off a coup signing Mitchell Dijks from Ajax
However, his move to Ibrox will increase speculation that a player much closer to home will be following him to Glasgow. According to the Daily Record, Steven Naismith is keen on a return to Rangers this summer – despite departing in acrimonious circumstances following their 2012 liquidation.
The diminutive schemer lifted three successive Scottish Premiership titles during five years at Rangers after signing from Kilmarnock in 2007 and possesses the intelligence and eye-for-goal that the club are crying out for.
Steven Naismith is a reminder of better times at Rangers
However, the fact that Naismith netted just six goals in 42 games since becoming Norwich’s club-record signing in January 2016 may raise a few alarm bells. As will the fact that they let him leave on a free just 16 months after shelling out £8.5 million to save on his £50,000-a-week wages, The Sun reports.
Nonetheless, if Naismith is prepared to take a substantial pay cut, Rangers should be willing to put the bad blood behind them and welcome him back with open arms.
And, if Stewart makes the move, there’s a good chance Naismith could follow.
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