According to a recent report by the Daily Record, Premiership giants Rangers are set to embark on the uphill task of acquiring the services of former Charlton Athletic attacker Lyle Taylor, with up to ten clubs from across the continent claimed to be keen on the veteran striker’s signature. The report suggests that the Gers have already conducted tentative preliminary discussions with the player’s representatives earlier in the summer, albeit without coming to a decision on the matter. The Gers’ Old-Firm rivals Celtic are said to have conducted initial talks as well.
Although the report has clarified that Rangers are interested in former Charlton ace Lyle Taylor, keeping the massive flurry of interested parties at bay will be a whole different ballgame for Gerrard to try and deal with. The forward refused to extend his contract at Charlton to see out the remainder of the season when the suspension was announced, meaning that he was decided on a move away even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Burnley, Nottingham Forest, Swansea City, West Brom, Galatasaray and Sivasspor are just a few clubs that are currently in for the forward, with interest still pouring in from across Europe.
What Is The Gers’ Current Situation Up Front?
The Gers currently have just three realistic options to choose from in the centre-forward role, Colombian sensation Alfredo Morelos, English veteran Jermain Defoe and Scottish stalwart Greg Stewart. The Scot has been forced to play second fiddle at the Ibrox for a while now, and with the presence of the other two names, that trend is likely to continue into next season as well. Morelos and Defoe seemed to be having an internal golden boot competition with both of them seen scoring goals at a good pace through the course of the campaign.
There seems to be no assurance over the Colombian’s future at the Ibrox though, with Morelos’ intermediary even commenting to Calcio Napoli recently that the player had been offered to the Serie A club after approval was provided by the forward himself. If Morelos were to depart in the summer, Gerrard would be left with a gaping hole in the attack-line of his squad. Winter loan signing Florian Kamberi has also now left the Ibrox outfit, meaning that acquiring a new striker might well be necessary before the new season commences in a few weeks.
What Makes Lyle Taylor A Good Option For Rangers?
The Charlton forward displayed some good goalscoring form throughout the last campaign, a period during which he found the net 11 times from 22 Championship fixtures. Standing at a little under 1.9m tall, Taylor would not only provide a solid presence in the box but could also act as the target man when things aren’t necessarily going their way. In Morelos and Defoe, the Ibrox club boast two strikers with similar physical profiles, and the addition of a different style of attacker could be what’s required to bring the best out of some of the other players in the side.
Rangers Are Interested In Former Charlton Ace Lyle Taylor: Should Gerrard Sign Him Up?
The Montserrat international striker’s desire to leave Charlton Athletic and pick up a bigger challenge elsewhere has been no secret, and Gerrard should look to take advantage of the situation. The Gers’ financial predicament isn’t the greatest at this time either, which is why they’ve been on the lookout for budget buying options. The acquisition of Ianis Hagi earlier in the summer set them back a decent bit, meaning that any further splurges of that magnitude are unlikely. Taylor, even though he’s 30, does tick a lot of boxes for the Ibrox club, and if an affordable financial package can be agreed upon with the player, then they needn’t think twice about making this move in the summer.
