OPINION
Rangers have been dealt a blow in their reported pursuit of defender George Edmundson despite the 21-year-old handing in a transfer request.
The Scottish Sun previously reported that the Gers were so keen on signing the Oldham enforcer that they were set to table a new bid for him after their previous £400,000 offer was rejected.
Since then Sky Sports have claimed that Oldham have rejected a £500,000+ bid by Steven Gerrard’s side and that this had prompted Edmundson to hand in a transfer request.
While it may look like a boost to the Gers’ hopes of signing the enforcer, the broadcaster’s report actually ends up dealing the club a blow when it comes to the 21-year-old.
This is because Sky Sports go on to reveal that Oldham are holding out for up to £1million for their homegrown talent, which means Ranger’s offer is notably short.
Some may think that the Gers will simply meet Oldham’s demand if they’re that keen, but a previous report suggests that’s unlikely to be the case.
The Sun’s print edition (Sunday May 19th, page 63) reported that the Gers were on the 21-year-old’s trail but only wanted to pay £500,000 to get him even though Gerrard was personally keen on acquiring him.
While Sky Sports’ report suggested the Gers ended up bidding above £500,000, it’s highly unlikely they’re going to meet Oldham’s demand after previously having such a strong stance on how much they wanted to pay.
Edmundson handing in a transfer request will also not necessarily force Oldham’s hand when it comes to the Gers’ pursuit, as he has many other suitors to potentially offload him to.
The Sun’s report mentioned Preston being keen, while the Scottish Sun have previously reported that Wigan, Derby, Stoke, Hull and Peterborough had all been circling the player.
So with that in mind, Oldham reportedly wanting £1million for Edmundson has dealt Ranger’s a blow that their pursuit may not recover from.