The Daily Mail, hardly the most reliable of sources, claims Rangers are now in discussions with £4M defender James Sands, a USA international but one who has a tonne of links with Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men.

The last US player we signed failed epically, and while we had doubts about this story when we first heard it, it’s growing legs.

Bear in mind, Sands is a current team mate of former Ranger Gedion Zelalem, once heralded as the next Xavi and Iniesta but who, at only 24, just didn’t realise that potential and ended up in the MLS.

That said, Zelalem will only speak highly to his colleague of Rangers during his time, and will plug the club as being in a far better place now that we’re champions.

However, Sands is with Giovanni Reyna’s agent so that either means the story is full of hot air or indeed those connections have aided to make this happen.

What we’re saying is there’s a lot of connections in this, which could be lazy journos connecting dots to make that a story, or that there really is one because of those connections.

Sands himself is untested outside the MLS – NYCFC fans are huge admirers of him and don’t want to lose him, so he’s clearly a fine player, and his stats absolutely back that up.

At just 21 and a mainstay at CB and RB with NYCFC, we don’t know what he’d cost to bring to Ibrox, but he can also play DM so he’s versatile for sure.

Is this one growing wings? Seems to be if the press are anything to go by, but Rangers only let out what they want let out, so it could be a huge red herring.

Time will tell…