Scottish Premiership giants Rangers reportedly wanted to sign Bauer before he swapped Charlton Athletic for Preston North End.
Rangers have known for a while that they would need a new centre-back this summer.
After all, it has been clear for a number of months that Gareth McAuley was unlikely to be kept on while Joe Worrall was always expected to return to Nottingham Forest. That leaves The Gers with Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic, the young Croatian who appears to have lost the trust of manager Steven Gerrard.
So far, however, signing a new defender has proved to be easier said than done.
The George Edmundson saga is showing no signs of ending and Patrick Bauer, who The Mail identified as a target, has now sealed a move elsewhere.
The Mail stated that Rangers were keen to snap up the Charlton Athletic powerhouse on a free transfer but he has decided to join Preston North End instead – a substantial blow to the best laid plans of the Scottish Premiership giants.
“I’m really excited to be here. I am happy to play finally in the Championship again and I’m really delighted. I can’t wait to meet all my new team-mates, all the staff and management and get started,” the German defender told the club’s official website.
Commanding and uncompromising, Bauer looked like a fine addition on a free and it remains to be seen whether they can find another similarly affordable defensive talent capable of replacing Worrall at the heart of Gerrard’s backline.
And with Rangers in danger of missing out on Edmondson too (below), the search is set to go on.
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