Scottish press today claim, contrary to what is generally believed about Hibernian’s Ryan Porteous, that the Easter Road defender, out of contract in the summer, will not be coming to Rangers, after a 6-club queue reportedly formed for his services.

West Bromwich Albion, Watford, Norwich City, Stoke City, Sunderland and Millwall are said to be interested in the Bosman signature of Porteous, but the MSM allege Rangers are not part of that list, and a few clubs on mainland Europe are monitoring him as well.

Our information was that both Michael Beale and Ross Wilson were in talks over making a move for the precontract deal with the 23-year old, but the red tops are of the information that Rangers have decided against the move.

There are also claims Celtic have no interest in Porteous and will not make a move ala Scott Allan simply to stop Rangers getting him, and we know they’re that petty having done it many times before, which, in all fairness, isn’t all one way…

What to make of all this? We know the red tops are unreliable at the best of times, but what we don’t know is what the player wants. We know he’s had his anti-Rangers moments in the past, but that didn’t stop Maurice Johnstone or Kenny Miller coming (back) to Ibrox so we don’t take much court with that.

What does matter is if Rangers decide to make the move or not. We suspect there is a lot of interest indeed in Porteous and if Rangers want him, the club would have to match or exceed what any cash-rich Championship side offered.

And we know Rangers’ coffers are far from unlimited, albeit the accounts are in better shape than they were, so it’s not like we’re going to make Porteous our best-paid player.

End of the day, what will be will always be, and Wilson and Beale will decide in due course if Rangers are going for Porteous. Press now claims we’re not albeit that may be a result of those discussions themselves. A change of heart at Ibrox?

Time as always will tell.