GVB’s Rangers cull is most certainly underway, as the boss chops Jermain Defoe and works on a glut of other exits for dead wood the club no longer requires.
Defoe is the first formal exit of the window, with his departure being countered by the return of Cedric Itten, but there’s a tonne of other players poised to exit, if the moves for them can be completed.
Boro are trying to take both John Lundstram and Jack Simpson. Chris Wilder, previous boss of the former at Sheffield Utd, wants his old midfielder patrolling once again for him, while Simpson would be a useful squad addition for a club like Boro.
Meanwhile Brandon Barker is said to be interesting Stevenage (League Two) and Morecambe (League One), but of course he’s under contract till the summer so it would have to be a free or a modest cost. Or, most likely, a loan.
Then there’s Jake Hastie, who has returned after yet another bad loan spell – couldn’t force his way into Partick’s team which says it all. No clubs linked with him but we’re fairly sure the lad is surplus at this point.
Stephen Kelly is also looking at a new loan – the promising young mid is to go out to Salford City, but of course, if he was good enough, why have we signed James Sands? We’ll watch that one with interest.
Those are the main ones for now, let’s see if any of them happen.