Rangers have handed Celtic the advantage in the hunt for Peterborough striker Jack Marriott after baulking at the £5million asking price slapped on his head, according to the Scottish Sun.
The newspaper’s report states that the Light Blues had held crunch talks with the League One side over a potential swoop for the dazzling 5’6″ (source: Transfermarkt) hitman, but that the fee being demanded has ended their interest.
It is stated that both Glasgow sides have been on the trail of the 23-year-old after his 33 goals across all competitions last season, but that Celtic are now the only of the rivals who are still pursuing a deal, along with a host of English clubs.
Opinion
While Rangers might want to be conducting an exciting overhaul of their squad now that Steven Gerrard is at the helm, there is no way they will be splashing out £5million on a League One striker. That sort of price, if the Light Blues are to splash some serious cash, will be reserved for proven talents who can take the Gers to the next level all by themselves. Marriott certainly seems to have a bright future ahead of him but it will not be at Ibrox. Could it be at Celtic Park instead? There is some uncertainty over whether the likes of Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard will still be at Parkhead come the end of summer and so Brendan Rodgers is right to have feelers out for some replacements. Their financial situation means they can offer much more money than Rangers but at the same time, is Marriott really a striker who should be leading the line in the Champions League group stages? Likewise, they would rather have proven talent for that sort of price tag.