Kyle Lafferty and the £750,000…

As the Kyle Lafferty saga rumbles on with claims that Hearts have rejected a cash plus Lee Wallace offer, amidst reports the Tynecastle side want £750,000 for the Northern Irish striker, it has become patently clear now that not securing his signature would be extremely foolish and a real dud move.

Manager Steven Gerrard has kept his cards close to his chest on this deal, which suggests he really wants it to happen, but he has also praised the board for backing him every step of the way.

The spending so far has seen £1M for Jamie Murphy, £3M for Connor Goldson, £2M for Nikola Katic, and £2M for Borna Barisic.

Money well spent so far, we have to say.

But for there to be silly negotiations over Lafferty and penny pinching in the face of the signature of a man who wants to come here, who is red hot in form, who’s an international, who the fans want and who knows what Rangers are all about is quite simply idiotic.

Sure, test the water with a £200,000 bid, but after the efficiency of the other deals this summer, with millions spent, seeing this one drawn out over the matter of a few hundred thousand is looking very silly indeed.

Rangers lack up front. That’s patently clear. Alfredo Morelos is the only reliable striker Rangers have, with Umar Sadiq not yet quite fitting in. The Nigerian will take time, but Rangers need something assured now. And Lafferty is the best striker in the SPL outwith the Old Firm.

The board must back Gerrard on this – sure, don’t pay silly money for a guy in the final year of his deal and the wrong side of 30, but to suggest £750,000 isn’t valid cash and haggling for an international who scores for fun in the SPL while happily shelling out £1M for a 28 year old with just one international cap for Scotland (Jamie Murphy) is odd at best.

Just do it Rangers – pay them the money and get the man we want.

We doubt we’re alone in thinking this.