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‘Rangers were interested’: Aston Villa player claims Gerrard wanted to lure him to Ibrox

Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
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STOURBRIDGE, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 15: Caleb Chukwuemeka of Aston Villa looks on during the Birmingham Senior Cup match between Stourbridge and Aston Villa U23 at War Memorial Athletic Ground on November 15, 2021 in Stourbridge, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images

Rangers saw Steven Gerrard leave for Aston Villa in November, and they were also beaten to the signing of Caleb Chukwuemeka by Villa last summer.

Rangers are probably sick of Villa at this point.

Not only did they take manager Gerrard, but also did something ofa clean sweep of Rangers’ first-team staff.

Add in transfer links to the likes of Leon King, Borna Barisic, Ryan Kent and Glen Kamara, and Rangers fans would probably gladly not hear about Villa for a while yet.

Unfortunately for them, one player has now come forward to admit that he had interest from Rangers but picked a move to Villa instead.

Forward Caleb Chukwuemeka was a man in demand last summer having shown promise with Northampton Town.

The Daily Mail reported that Rangers had expressed an interest in a deal, keen to bring him to Ibrox in a cheap deal.

Villa ended up winning the race though, pairing Chukwuemeka up with his brother Carney at Villa Park.

Gerrard has been using Carney in his Villa first team setup, but Caleb is now off out on loan – and ironically, he’s headed to Scotland.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 30: Caleb Chukwuemeka of Aston Villa is put under pressure by Harry Arter of Charlton Athletic  during the Papa John's EFL Trophy Group match between Charlton Athletic and Aston Villa U21 at The Valley on November 30, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Jacques Feeney/Getty Images)
Photo by Jacques Feeney/Getty Images

Livingston have struck a deal to take Chukwuemeka on loan, landing the teenager until the end of the season.

That means Chukwuemeka will be in line to play against Rangers at Ibrox next week – and he has opened up on interest from the Gers.

Chukwuemeka has told The Scottish Sun that Rangers did want to sign him last summer, adding that playing under Gerrard at Villa is now a ‘crazy coincidence’.

“I remember my agent saying Rangers were interested in me last summer,” said Chukwuemeka. “It was a crazy coincidence that Steven Gerrard then came to Villa as manager. You can only learn from a guy like him. Everyone knows what he has done in the game. It’s nice of him to speak so highly of me to the gaffer at Livingston,” he added.

Gerrard will be looking for Chukwuemeka to shine in Scotland, and that could yet come at Rangers’ expense.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 22: Caleb Chukwuemeka of Aston Villa in action during the Premier League 2 match between Aston Villa vs Burnley at Bodymoor Heath training ground on November 22, 2021 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images)
Photo by Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images