Joey Barton could set for a summer raid of his old employers with The Sun (7 June, page 61) reporting that his Fleetwood Town are keen to sign Rangers defender Jon Flanagan on a free transfer.
It’s fair to say Flanagan, a right-back so talented in his younger days that he was tipped for stardom by Brazilian legend Cafu, never quite lived up to expectations at Ibrox.
With just five Scottish Premiership appearances to his name across 2019/20, it was no surprise when the announcement came that the former Liverpool starlet was heading for the exit upon the end of the current campaign.
But despite his rather underwhelming spell at Rangers, Flanagan will not be a free agent for long.
The Sun reports that Fleetwood are interested in a deal that would see Barton snap up a player who joined the Glasgow giants two years after his own spell in Scotland was brought to a premature, and typically controversial, conclusion.
The Cod Army had been enjoying an impressive campaign before the global health crisis saw the season put on ice, sitting fifth in the third tier table.
It remains to be seen whether they will be handed the chance to continue their Championship charge over the next few weeks or months.
And the opportunity to work under Barton, a young and impressive coach who has made this Fleetwood side far better than the sum of its parts, may appeal to Flanagan after two years on the bench.
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