OPINION
Craig Halkett will be one of the most in-demand free transfers in the SPL at the end of the season.
The 23-year-old centre-back is out of contract at Livingston in the summer and even their manager Gary Holt does not expect to keep a player he described last week as “exceptional”.
BBC journalist Rob MacLean named Halkett in his latest team of the week column and claimed “the queue of clubs wanting to sign the centre-half at the end of the season continues to grow”.
Football Insider has claimed Rangers are plotting a move to re-signed their former academy product, while Hearts have also been strongly linked with the defender.
Ibrox would surely erupt if the Glasgow giants were to sign a player proven in the Scottish Premiership and who has come on leaps and bounds since leaving on a free in the summer of 2016.
Halkett has developed significantly at Livi, first in the Scottish Championship and now in the Scottish Premiership, starting all 30 league fixtures for the club this season.
Durable, commanding and with a growing awareness of where to be and when to be there, Halkett is also a useful goalscorer, weighing in with five league goals this season.
Given that Joe Worrall is on a season-long loan from Nottingham Forest and is due to return to his parent club while Gareth McAuley is out of contract at the end of the campaign, Rangers are going to be in the market for a new centre-back.
The club will need a third quality option to go alongside Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic, and Halkett has the potential to be that man.
His star is on the rise, and he could make a brilliant free transfer capture.