Manager of Rangers target Jamie Walker confirms player’s head has been turned by Ibrox interest

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Hearts interim boss Jon Daly – a former Rangers striker – is leaving Walker out of his squad for this weekend after a series of bids from Ibrox counterpart Pedro Caixinha.

Hearts interim manager Jon Daly has told Sky Sports that Jamie Walker will not feature against Celtic this weekend, after the winger “had his head turned” by Rangers’ sustained interest.

Walker is said to have been the subject of several failed bids from Rangers boss Pedro Caixinha, the latest one worth £600,000.

Hearts winger Jamie Walker

The 24-year-old had been offered a new contract by Ian Cathro, who was sacked as Hearts boss earlier this week, with his current one due to expire at the end of the coming campaign.

And the proposal remained on the table, despite Walker telling the Edinburgh side he would not re-sign and wanted to move clubs.

Though Rangers could sign him on a pre-contract agreement from January 2018, Hearts are holding out for £1 million for Walker, who was their top scorer and player of the year last season.

And with an agreement with Rangers not thought to be close, Daly has warned his old side there are “a million and one other clubs” who would love to his best player.

“A club have made an offer for him, it’s kind of turned his head a bit,” the 34-year-old told Sky Sports. “He is mentally not in the right place. We need everybody on board at the minute and everyone in the right place mentally and everyone pulling in the same direction. Jamie is a little bit off where he needs to be, fitness-wise, in terms of mentality.

“The conversation I had with him was that we will leave him out this weekend with a view to hopefully giving him a few days to try and get his head right, and hopefully, if I’m still in charge next week and he’s still here, getting him back involved next week.

Jon Daly in action for Rangers

“Because Jamie has to understand that Rangers is one club. There’s a million and one other clubs in the world that would love Jamie Walker. If I was manager of another club I would sign Jamie Walker for £1 million no problem because on his day he’s the best at the club.”

Will Rangers get their man in the final few weeks of the window?