OPINION
Rangers are reportedly set to miss out on the chance to re-sign Swansea centre-back Kyle Bartley this summer with the 27-year-old heading to West Brom in a deal worth around £4million – and that is a major blow for the Scottish Premiership club.
Wales Online has claimed that the Baggies have stolen a march on the Light Blues to sign up Bartley, and could have the deal wrapped up by he end of the week as talks have progressed without a hitch.
Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has already made considerable efforts to improve his defence at Ibrox, adding Allan McGregor as his new number one goalkeeper while also welcoming Connor Goldson, Nikola Katic and Jon Flanagan to the club.
However it certainly appears as though he is still in the market to continue adding depth to his defence with the Daily Mail reporting that a bid worth £3million has been tabled for Millwall centre-back Jake Cooper.
The Scottish Sun claimed in May that Bartley, who has been on loan at Ibrox in the past, was also a defensive target for the Light Blues, but not it appears that they are set to miss out on the chance to sign the £28,000-a-week defender (Spotrac) as he is heading to The Hawthorns.
Gerrard must now hold in-depth talks with director of football Mark Allen about where the club goes from here.
It is clear that they want another centre-back signed up, but a £5million valuation of Cooper is likely to put the brakes on that move while Bartley is now out of the question.
Rangers have done their business quickly and efficiently so far, but are we now about to see Gerrard’s true skills in the transfer market as he starts to face a bit more pressure ahead of the new season kicking off?