OPINION
Rangers must attempt an audacious move to re-sign John Fleck in the January transfer window with the midfielder in red-hot form with Sheffield United in the Championship.
The 27-year-old has played a key role in helping the Blades up to fourth place in England’s second-tier as the Yorkshire club continues to look as though they are one that could seriously challenge for promotion to the Premier League this season.
Fleck began his career at Ibrox, earning 55 appearances across all competitions as a youngster before Coventry signed him in 2012 in the aftermath of Rangers’ financial meltdown.
After four years with the Sky Blues, the Glasgow-born pass master was snapped up by Sheffield United, who he helped win the 2016/17 League One title with and continued his fine form into the Championship.
Fleck is now at the peak of his career and he has since been handed the chance to earn his first Scotland cap against Israel having recently been called up to Alex McLeish’s Nations League squad.
It is utterly criminal that Fleck has had to wait this long to get a chance to play for the Tartan Army, but that does not mean he is any less of a player and Rangers simply have to try and re-sign him in January.
Steven Gerrard’s midfield has been pretty poor at time this season.
Ovie Ejaria and Lassana Coulibaly are only at Ibrox on temporary deals so once the season ends, Gerrard is going to have to go out and sign replacements.
However if Gerrard can sign Fleck in January then he would walk straight into the first team and oust someone like Coulibaly, who has blown hot and cold since he arrived in Govan on loan from Angers in the summer.
Rangers have not shied away from signing players who left the club in 2012 with Kyle Lafferty and Allan McGregor back on the books in Glasgow and Ibrox roared once Gerrard was able to re-sign those pair.
That same thing will happen again if Fleck is snapped up in January and director of football Mark Allen needs to ensure that a deal can happen.