Freddie Woodman’s admission that he only learned of Rangers’ interest this week because his manager Ryan Lowe actually told him does confirm that the Ibrox side were indeed in for the Preston stopper in January.
But controversially, they didn’t tell him.
The 26-year-old stopper, who Rangers are now confirmed as making a move on at the last window, only discovered the interest this week, and while saying he’s happy where he is, seemed completely oblivious to Michael Beale’s overtures.
He said:
“I only got told it the other day loosely by the manager, he said something about Rangers or something like that. I didn’t have a clue. I try not to get involved in it. You know what it is like, there are so many things that have to fall in line for that to actually happen. I got scarred from the Bournemouth one. I was dead set, I was going to Bournemouth. Now I just try and focus on the here and now as if you take care of your business now, then that stuff will all come. I’m happy at the minute, I’m happy playing, I’m settled, it’s the first time I’m not on loan somewhere, the Mrs is happy, I’m happy off the pitch and happy on it. At the moment, I am pretty cool where I am.”
This is very interesting – that Lowe actively withheld Rangers’ interest in Woodman from the keeper himself, and we’re pretty sure that’s against FIFA regulations.
While the player claims he’s happy where he is, he alludes to the possibility of interest in between the lines here, and for Lowe to actually fail to inform Woodman that Rangers had made enquiries about him definitely seems to go against the rules of transfers.
Now the basics tend to be bid for a player and if it’s accepted, you can negotiate with said player, but we’re pretty sure the club has to inform a player if there’s been a solid enquiry made as well. They certainly have to inform his agent.
So we’re intrigued if a rule has been broken here by Preston in regards Rangers’ attempts to secure Freddie Woodman.