We admit we’re kind of stunned by the Dan Neil arrival.
The signing of the former Sunderland man has come out of the blue and Rangers’ social media team made a gag too of how secret it was.
In fact, that our own source who is close to the player himself didn’t know of this shows how under wraps this was.
Confirmation
Ibrox Noise did confirm some weeks ago that Neil absolutely wanted to come to Rangers. Our source explained Rangers was his top choice.
However, Southampton had stolen a march and Neil was speaking to them in advanced talks.
Those talks clearly broke down and Neil looked to Rangers again. We are clear – Neil didn’t especially want Southampton, it was Rangers his first choice, and he spoke to them in lieu of no hard approach by Rangers.
That changed.
As soon as Derek McInnes made his move, Neil dropped the Southampton angle. He was only too keen to switch north instead.
Ibrox Noise can only surmise, but this thing may have literally been done last night into this morning. And that’s why it was not so much hush hush but last-minute boom.
Either way it is done and Neil is Rangers’ new number 6.
Ibrox Noise isn’t shy about being honest. We’re not keen on this signing. It’s getting the same ‘he’s the greatest thing’ hype that Pandur is getting, that Rothwell got.
If these guys were as good as the hype machine, their current (now previous) clubs would have them in the Premier League.
Instead they loaned them out to Championship clubs. Neil wasn’t offered a new contract at the end of his deal at the Stadium of Light.
All we can do is have faith in Del. Faith that the manager knows a player, and that Neil is the right fit for the club.
It smells of Joe Rothwell to us, but our source tells us this boy is a top player.
Hopefully they and Derek McInnes and the hype machine are bang on.