Rangers linked with surprise move for Steven Caulker

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Rangers linked with surprise move for Steven Caulker

Rangers have been linked with a shock move for Dundee
centre-back Steven Caulker as the summer spending looks set to continue.

It’s been a summer of tremendous change at Ibrox, and that’s not even including
the manager and coaching team. The appointment of Steven Gerrard has ushered in
a new era at Rangers but few expected such a major overhaul in the playing
personnel. So far, eleven new players have joined the club on either permanent
or loan deals with another thirteen heading for the exit door.
After a relatively quiet May, Rangers went on something of
a splurge with the additions of Nikola Katic, Connor Goldson,
Jon Flanagan and Ovie Ejaria all arriving within the space
of a couple of weeks. Lassana Coulibaly, Umar Sadiq and Ryan Kent followed in
July and on Tuesday Rangers completed their eleventh signing of the window with
the acquisition of Borna Barišić from the Croatian side, NK Osijek.
“We knew the player, and as soon as we were drawn against
Osijek in the competition, I had a couple of conversations with [Nikola Katic]
and I also spoke in good detail to Dejan Lovren and he made it very clear their
main threat was Borna,”
Gerrard said during his press conference on Wednesday.
“I think the club have performed very well in the last few
days in terms of getting that signing in the door very quickly, and the reason
being was we had to act very quickly as there were very many teams chasing his
services, and that goes to show what type of player we have brought through the
door.”

With so many players coming in, the outgoings have been equally as numerous.
Kenny Miller, David Bates and Eduardo Herrera are amongst the highest profile
names on the list but they could soon be joined by another. Captain James
Tavernier is the club’s top scorer so far this season and has been amongst the
best performers, which is perhaps why he has attracted interest from the
Premier League.
Brighton & Hove Albion have reportedly been tracking
Tavernier for some time and tested Rangers’ resolve with a bid for
the player. The Premier League transfer window closed on Thursday which led
to this late rush to sign the player who joined Rangers back in 2015.
In the short-term, this isn’t a major problem for Gerrard.
Jon Flanagan could have slotted into his favoured right-back position while
new signing Borna Barišić can play at left-back. The
deal would, however, have freed up funds for another transfer deal and it appears as
if Gerrard is keen to improve his defence yet again.
Reports suggest that both Rangers and Leeds United are now considering a £1.5
million offer for Dundee defender Steven Caulker. The Tottenham Hotspur youth
product has had a remarkably turbulent career for a player still so young. His
early breakthroughs came during loan spells at Bristol City and Cardiff City
before Caulker made a permanent move across London to Queens Park Rangers.
The centre-back lost his good form on the field but faced
even more problems off it. In the summer of 2017,
Caulker opened up to The Guardian about his problems with mental
illness and gambling addiction. He has been receiving treatment ever since and
has since gotten his football career back on track. Caulker has been performing
well for Dundee since joining the club in February but would be a surprising
deal for Rangers.
Steven Gerrard hasn’t been scared to change things up at Ibrox. The former
Liverpool captain has overhauled the playing staff with the defence an area of
major change. Rangers outscored Celtic in the league last season but conceded
twice as many goals which will have to change if they are to be successful this
year. The Scottish Premiership title may be a step too far in Gerrard’s first
season but perhaps there is an opportunity for success in the Scottish FA Cup.
Rangers are the joint 6/1 second-favourites to lift the Cup next May
onBetway as of 8 August but in order to do that, things will have to improve
defensively.
And Steven Caulker could be instrumental to that. It was Steven Gerrard
actually assisted Caulker when the defender grabbed a goal on his one and only
England appearance back in November 2012. Now could be a good opportunity for
Caulker to return the favour and help his former captain achieve success in his
first season as a manager.

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12 COMMENTS

  1. Stevie Ger wants a left footed defender and is waiting to find out whats happening with the lad from Bournemouth on loan,Caulkers a right footer so i dont think he's looking at him….No Surrender…

  2. Get Caulker and Big Laff and we can win the league…far better transfer window than I expected and players seem to be gelling quickly

  3. Going to trust in SG, on this one. SG has been fantastic i.m.o. You have to crack a few eggs, to make the omelette. Rangers team was needing, to be shook up. That team last season, had given up.

  4. Caulker, to agree with some of the others, isn't the signing I would be after. Obviously the gaffer and Mark Allen know better than I do, but this isn't exactly the "sexiest" of signings. Especially at £1.5 million or more. I'd throw in an initial £600k bid, and deal from there, I wouldn't go over £1 million for this player though. His past, though he's in treatment for it, can be an easier thing to deal with at a club like the D where the pressure is considerably less to deal with than at Rangers. That's my biggest worry.

    Ultimately, however, I fully trust that SG and MA will do what's best for the club. If they think Caulker can do a job for us, then I'm ready to get on board with it should the deal get over the line.

  5. No…baggage is to be avoided. Mental illness is not something to take lightly. Compound that with the intense pressures at Rangers and this does not bode well.Strong no.

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