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Mark Warburton comments on Alex Pritchard, Rangers regrets

Rangers manager Mark Warburton looks on during the Petrofac Training Cup Quarter-Final match between Rangers and Livingston at Ibrox Stadium on Oct...
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Former Glasgow Rangers boss Mark Warburton wanted Alex Pritchard at Ibrox.

Alex Pritchard of Norwich City (R) celebrates with Jonathan Howson (L) after David Stockdale of Brighton and Hove Albion (not pictured) scores his second own goal during the Sky Bet...

Former Rangers boss Mark Warburton has suggested to Open Goal that he wanted to sign Alex Pritchard for the Scottish club.

Warburton led Rangers to Premiership promotion in 2016, but a disappointing recruitment drive in the summer provided the foundations for a poor first season back in the top flight.

The 56-year-old brought in a lot of experience in the form of Joey Barton, Clint Hill, Niko Kranjcar and Philippe Senderos, but only Hill proved to be a big player at Ibrox.

Warburton, who coached Pritchard at Brentford, says that he had to prioritise physical players over the technically-gifted, but admits he made a mistake.

He told Open Goal: “I should’ve trusted my gut and gone more for the Pritchards. I couldn’t get Alex, but that type of player. Young, hungry and technically gifted.

“I thought about the physicality and still the money. People say why didn’t you get the 6’3 guy who can play? Because he’s on £50,000 per week.

“I can’t get those players. You either get the physicality or the technician. You couldn’t get both for the money we’ve had available.”

Warburton was sacked by the light Blues this month two years ago, before being replaced by Pedro Caixinha, who lasted less than a year at Ibrox.

Rangers were 27 points behind Brendan Rodgers’s Celtic at the time of the Londoner’s exit.

Pritchard, who joined Huddersfield for £11 million [The Sun] last January, was on the books at Tottenham at the time of Warburton’s interest.

Alex Pritchard during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Huddersfield Town at Vitality Stadium on December 04, 2018 in Bournemouth, United Kingdom.