According to the Express Live Transfer update (7:35), Rangers have beaten off all the competition for Jake Hastie as the winger is set to confirm a deal this week with the Gers. The Bears have been linked with the Motherwell winger for quite some time, and the negotiations have been going on for a while.
Reports had even emerged once that the Bears grew frustrated with the negotiations and pulled the plug on the deal. However, if the latest stories are to go by then, the player is seemingly very close to joining the Glaswegian giants.
Hastie had spent the first half of the season playing for Alloa Athletic on loan. Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson got him back in January, and since then the Scotsman has been firing on all cylinders in the Premiership. The report also adds that Hastie had been keen on moving to Rangers for quite some time now.
The Scotsman is in the final few months of his contract with the Well, and the club had offered him a new deal. However, it seems like Hastie only has an eye for playing for Rangers next season.
What will Hastie add to the team?
The 20-year-old has impressive pace to burn, but it’s his composure and ability to score goals in the final third that makes him a standout option. Often young wingers during this stage of their career are unable to produce the final product. However, Hastie seems to be on the right track, and he has the potential to be a once in a generation kind of talent.
Does Rangers need him?
Jake Hastie is a left winger and Rangers do have plenty of cover in that position. Jamie Murphy who missed the season because of an injury in August last year will become available once the next campaign arrives.
Gerrard has already secured the signature of Jordan Jones on a pre-contract deal from Kilmarnock for the next season. To go with that, they have Glenn Middleton who plays in that position as a backup to Ryan Kent.
So it’s clear that the manager has plenty of option for that role in his team. Hastie might be utilised as an inverted winger down the right flank. The Scotsman is a top talent who has shown impressive signs in the last few months. Signing him on a free transfer is going to be a good deal for Rangers as there is no risk involved. Hastie’s deal though puts more doubt on Ryan Kent’s arrival for the next summer.
