Rangers were recently linked with a move for Wales defender James Lawrence. However, reports from the Scottish Sun claimed that the sources from Ibrox had played down a move for the Anderlecht defender. Now, reports from the Daily Record claims that Steven Gerrard is known to be an admirer of the player and the defender could look to move back to Britain in the summer.
The primary reason why Lawrence might want a move is because of the addition of Vincent Kompany to Anderlecht’s squad. Lawrence is aware that his game time might be limited for the next season so he could look to make a move away from the club even though he still has two years of contract left with the Belgian heavyweights.
Rangers had reportedly made enquiries about the defender, but they were told that they would have to pay upwards of £3m for the Wales international. Maybe that could be the reason why reports from the Scottish Sun initially played down a possible move for the defender as we feel that the Gers might not want to spend that much on a defender.
Do Rangers need a defender after they move close to signing Edmundson?
Yes, they still do. The Gers have lost the services of Gareth McAuley and Joe Worrall as their contracts expired. They are currently left with two centre-halves in their squad in the form of Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic.
Even with Edmundson coming in, it would be advisable for Rangers to sign another centre back as they are set to compete in quite a few competitions. Moreover, Edmundson is still a young prospect, and he might take some time to settle in at the club.
What will Lawrence bring to the table at Ibrox?
The 26-year-old has had spells at the youth level with Arsenal and Queens Park Rangers. He even spent some time with Ajax and has represented his country five times. Lawrence’s standout asset is his versatility to play in various positions. The centre back can fill in as a left back and as a defensive midfielder. He can do that because of his confidence and composure on the ball. His ball playing attributes would definitely be a massive plus for Gerrard.
On the physical front as well, Lawrence should be able to cope with the challenges of the Premiership. Standing at 6ft 2inches, he is strong in the air, and the defender seems to have well-rounded attributes. No wonder Gerrard appears to be an admirer of the player. However, the price tag might be a bit of a concern and clubs like Stoke City and Swansea City are also said to be interested.
