Rangers interested in Scotland international

With rumours about Bruno Alves and Fabio Cardoso’s respective Rangers futures still very much doing the rounds (Alves is said to be unhappy with life in Scotland, and ditto his former partner who is said to be interesting Estoril), Rangers have started to be linked with a host of defensive armaments this month.

Dundee’s Jack Hendry we already know about, and interest in the young centre back is reported to be ongoing, but another name has been added to the list, with Rangers said to be looking at Scotland international Russell Martin.

The 31-year old is being proposed as a flexible addition to the squad, with his primary position being a direct replacement at right back for the potentially outgoing James Tavernier, but if Rangers do hold onto their on-form fullback, Martin is perfectly adept at filling in at centre back, which, as said, is a position Rangers really only have two feasible options for in David Bates and Danny Wilson.

Meanwhile a former other option Ross McCrorie has been pushed forward successfully into a defensive midfield slot (albeit remains a CB option), and the Portuguese pair’s aforementioned future is in doubt.

Hence Martin could be a useful, if unglamorous signing designed to give Rangers some experience at the back.

The Norwich City defender is, like his international team mate Steven Naismith, out of favour at Carrow Road under new manager Daniel Farke, and like Naismith being strongly connected with an escape route to Ibrox.

Rangers will be linked with many more players in the coming weeks, so we will watch with interest what changes Graeme Murty and Mark Allen make.