Rangers are now eager to build on Jermain Defoe’s exit from Ibrox by freeing further wages with farewells for Brandon Barker and Jake Hastie during the January transfer window.
That’s according to the Glasgow Times, who report the Gers want to raise additional funds for Giovanni van Bronckhorst. The Premiership title-holders cleared space in their wage bill on Wednesday with confirmation of Defoe departing after three-years in Glasgow.
Defoe had rarely featured under either Van Bronckhorst or his predecessor Steven Gerrard this season. The former England international made just two appearances for a mere eight-minutes across all competitions. He also last featured at Livingston on November 28.
Rangers releasing Defoe marked their second permanent farewell this month after selling Nathan Patterson to Everton for up to £16m. The deal includes £12m as an initial payment.
Further departures could also follow with Middlesbrough keen to sign John Lundstram. The move would reunite the midfielder with his former Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder.
Hastie and Barker to follow Defoe out of Rangers in January transfers?
Other English sides are also considering Lundstram after a difficult start to his Ibrox career. But the Gers have not decided if they will sanction the exit of Gerrard’s summer signing.
Rangers are, however, keen to move both Barker and Hastie on during the January transfer window. Neither has featured regularly so far this season, with Hastie playing seven games. Barker, meanwhile, is yet to feature and has only been involved in one matchday squad.
Gerrard and Van Bronckhorst have overlooked Barker in all Premiership and Europa League games so far this term. His only inclusion came as an unused substitute in the League Cup quarter-final at home to Livingston on September 22.
Hearts star Andy Halliday was full of praise for Barker during their time together, though. The 30-year-old said on the Open Goal podcast during 2020: “He’s one of the best trainers.
“He’s got days where he just beats the full team and scores and I think, supposedly, they played a friendly against Plymouth [Argyle] during the week and he was unbelievable.”
Van Bronckhorst to part with two ‘unbelievable’ players in January?
Unbelievable was also a word used to describe Hastie during the winger’s loan spell with Rotherham United in 2019. He scored three goals and one assist in 16 games for the club.
“I thought Jake was really good and some of the balls he put into [the box] were unbelievable,” boss Paul Warne told iFollow Millers. “That’s why we brought him in.
“I like playing with wingers and we had to wait for the ones we really wanted. But Hastie down the right and Chiedozie Ogbene down the left would be the dream package for me.”
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