Rangers are one of three clubs looking to sign goalkeeper Freddie Woodman and lure him north of the border to Ibrox – a player that Eddie Howe once described as “outstanding”. Reports claim that Woodman is available for just £3.5m.
Woodman, 25, is a target for Rangers having sparkled between the sticks for Championship side Preston this season. The ex-Newcastle stopper finally left the Toon on a permanent basis last summer, since playing 37 times for Preston.
In that time, he has clocked up an impressive 14 clean sheets and conceded 43 goals – excellent stats given the nature of the Championship. The Sun claim Rangers are battling Leicester and Leeds to land the six-time England U21 star.
A fee of just £3.5m would be required to lure him away from Preston and to Ibrox in the summer. Michael Beale will know that his side needs a goalkeeper, with Allan McGregor looking likely to retire. Newcastle boss Howe is a big fan.
Howe, who almost joined Celtic before taking the Newcastle job – where he has since sparkled as manager – allowed Woodman to join Preston last summer. He spoke about the difficulty Woodman had of breaking in at Newcastle.
“Goalkeeper is the hardest position. It difficult for Freddie to get any game time, which was obviously a disappointment for us and for him. He’s an outstanding young goalkeeper,” Howe said, shortly before selling him to Preston in 2022.
Rangers looking to sign Freddie Woodman, Howe said he is outstanding
It would be a really smart bit of business. Woodman is an experienced goalkeeper but in goalkeeping terms, still very young. He is tough, he is a winner – having won the U17 World Cup with England. An utter bargain at £3.5million.
Of course, Rangers do not have an endless pot of cash but if they are looking for a goalkeeper that can come in for McGregor and immediately hit the ground running – Woodman is the man. He can be the no.1 for years to come.
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