Rangers have been eyeing Millwall defender Jake Cooper for quite a while now. There were reports that the Gers will pull out of the deal if the Lions don’t agree to sell him for a £3m price tag. The Gers had even identified an alternative and it was said to be Blackpool defender Curtis Tilt. However, latest reports suggest that Cooper remains the number one priority and Tilt is not on Steve Gerrard’s radar anymore.
The Glaswegian outfit have been thwarted thrice by Millwall for their prized defender. The 6ft 5 inches tall centre-back was the heart and soul of the Lions defence in the last campaign as they came perilously close to qualifying for the playoffs. They had secured promotion to the Championship last season only after winning the League One playoffs, so one can say the Lions are certainly on the rise in English football.
New Den boss Neil Harris is keen to hold on to his defensive star as he builds his team for the upcoming season. The Gers have taken some massive steps in the transfer market and the results are also showing as they went past Shkupi in the Europa League qualifiers over the two legs.
The Gers boss will be looking to add competition for places and they are in the market for a left-sided centre-back. Nikola Katic and Connor Goldson were brought in the current transfer window and they showed promise together in their Europa League games. However, a backup option is still a necessity and Cooper will definitely be a strong choice. It is, though, yet not clear whether the Light Blues will come in with a fourth and improved offer for the 23-year-old defender.
The Teddy Bears had the worst defensive record last season of any of the top seven sides. Solving the defensive problem would have been first on Gerrard’s agenda and he looks to be on the right track as his side kept two clean sheets against Shkupi. Though these are still early days and his real test will come once the league season begins.
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Cooper had made 42 appearances last season in the Championship and even managed to score 4 goals and three assists as his tall stature certainly make him a threat in set-piece situations. He looked defensively solid and sound in the last campaign and should be a good fit in the Scottish Premiership. However, he might not be a guaranteed starter so it remains to be seen whether the English defender will make the switch to the Ibrox stadium.
