According to a recent report from Daily Mail, Gillingham’s Jack Tucker could be sold to help in keeping the club afloat. The centre half is considered as one of the most sellable assets in the side. Premier League clubs like West Ham United, Southampton and Norwich City have been linked with him. Rangers are also interested in the defender along with Celtic as well.
English Championship outfit Brentford had reportedly put in a bid of £1m in the January transfer window which was rejected. Report from the Scottish Sun earlier stated that Tucker is being valued at around £1.5m. The 20-year-old reportedly has his contract at the club until 2023.
Rangers are once again likely to come up short against Celtic in the title race. Some glaring errors and individual mistakes at the back have the cost the side dear. We believe that there could be a change in personnel in defence for the next season given that the current lot of players have failed to perform at crucial junctures.
Tucker though is still vastly inexperienced, and it is unlikely that he would become a first-team player straightaway. The youngster can be viewed in a similar mould to George Edmundson who came from League Two outfit Oldham Athletic. Tucker has made 33 appearances in all competitions for Gillingham this season, and he has already emerged as a mainstay at the back for them. The English defender has emerged from the club’s academy.
What can Tucker bring at Ibrox?
The 20-year-old stands in almost at 6ft4 and is understandably a dominant force in the air. However, he showcases decent pace for a defender of that stature which allows him to make crucial challenges when he is in a foot race with an attacker.
He also has the strength and physical side to his game which is often necessary to thrive in Scottish football. It is no surprise that some Premier League clubs are also looking at him at the moment as he seems to have the raw ingredients necessary to play at the top level. With a bit more experience, Tucker can turn out to be a good signing.
We believe that Rangers should consider getting him in the summer, but the competition is likely going to be tough to gain his signature. Maybe Gerrard can offer him a much quicker path towards first-team football, and that might help them in luring the defender.
