After recent claims from sources that Everton’s ‘recently-released’ left back Leighton Baines was in ‘advanced talks’ with Rangers over a potential blockbuster move north, it has emerged that this was probably in fact absolute guff and the 34-year old has been offered a new deal with the Toffees.

The England international lost his place at Goodison Park to France international Lucas Digne, a world class left back with dozens of caps to his credit, so a fairly honourable new model to lose out to, and it had been speculated the fullback might be a major summer coup for Steven Gerrard to secure.

But this latest development may suggest that was never seriously on the cards and the ex-Wigan man appears to be mulling over the offer, and, in all likelihood, unless some Middle Eastern mob with more money than sense comes in and bests the numbers, the experienced defender is likely to remain on Merseyside.

Rangers certainly do have issues in that position. Borna Barisic, despite his claims yesterday, remains damaged goods, and Jon Flanagan is no natural LB while Andy Halliday is definitely not a prime candidate for the berth either meaning there really is a vacancy for someone to completely own the slot.

But it doesn’t seem like that vacancy will be filled by the Hollywood name of Baines, and either Steven Gerrard’s search continues or he persists with his summer 2018 capture of Barisic.

We shall see.