As we reported last night, sources from Saudi Arabia have revealed ex-Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has finally been green-lighted by his bosses at Al-Ettifaq to bid serious money for Rangers captain James Tavernier, but it’s subsequently arisen he wants Connor Goldson too.

The double-swoop comes off the back of an average season from Gerrard’s Saudi side, sitting 7th of 18 sides, which isn’t bad bad but club chiefs want better, given who’s on their roster.

Jack Hendry, Moussa Dembele, Demarai Gray, Georginio Wijnaldum, Seko Fofana and Karl Toko Ekambi are some of the standout names in the squad, and Gerrard himself of course is a massive icon.

But 7th isn’t what they want, and with Tavernier’s numbers and Goldson’s experience, Gerrard really wants his old trusty charges in Saudi Arabia with him.

It works differently in Saudi to Europe – here a manager gets who he wants if the club can afford him and it’s feasible. In Saudi, a manager has to make a case for the players he wants, and Gerrard has been unable to get his way over Tavernier in particular.

But the 7th place has persuaded his bosses to give him the budget he wants for Rangers’ man, and Gerrard is now likely to offer big cash for both Tav and Goldson as a new defence in the Gulf state.

The plan looks like partnering Hendry with Goldson as Ettifaq’s new rearguard, with Tav bombing up and down and getting the goals.

Financial package?

Most Rangers fans would be quite happy to ship Goldson out now, and the majority are also of the view that ‘money talks’ over Tavernier.

A double bid in the region of £10M-£15M might just make its way to Ibrox this summer for the pair, but bear in mind both are nearing the latter stages of their deals and both of them are the wrong side of 30.

So we’ll see how this one plays out.