According to a recent report by Chronicle Live, Premiership giants Rangers have been credited with a lingering interest in acquiring the services of Newcastle United’s English winger Jacob Murphy. The report suggests that Steven Gerrard is still keen on signing the attacker next summer, with hopes of securing a pre-contract agreement with him in January. The Ibrox club looked at the possibility of bringing him in during the summer, as the Magpies did initially indicate that he could be available on loan.
Although the report claims that Rangers are still interested in Newcastle United’s Jacob Murphy, whether or not it’s a move that attracts him remains to be seen. Steve Bruce, despite initially being uncertain about the speedster’s future, is now reportedly keen on keeping him at the club. His recent display against Wolves in the Premier League has only bolstered his reputation within St.James’ Park even further. The Magpies have supposedly already held contract talks with him, with the club unwilling to let him go for free, irrespective of him failing to nail down a starting role.
What Is Rangers’ Current Situation In The League?
The Ibrox club have started the season in sensational fashion, as they currently find themselves sitting atop the league table, with a whopping points lead in hand. Although their fiercest rivals Celtic have played two games less, the recent Old Firm derby between the two sides showed that there is still a gulf in class between the two squads. While Rangers have looked like the side to beat, Celtic have been found lacking across all the different competitions. The Ibrox attackers deserve a lot of credit for what they’ve achieved, but the possibility of untimely injuries have the potential to destroy their entire season.
What Do Rangers’ Wide Options Look Like?
As far as the first-team is concerned, Ryan Kent and Ianis Hagi have been the main options in the wide areas. While Ryan Kent is usually deployed on the right, Hagi operates on the other flank, with the duo often found dropping extremely narrow to support the striker. As good as Hagi has been in parts, it must be taken into account that he isn’t really a natural winger. Moreover, taking these two out of the equation would throw light on the actual situation that Gerrard is facing in attack.
Apart from Kent and Hagi, Rangers have two alternate wide options – Brandon Barker and Jordan Jones. Although both of them have been given their fair share of opportunities, neither has been able to deliver at the required level. Jones has offered very little conviction whenever he has played, and while it could be argued that his recent goal was one worth marvelling at, it takes nothing away from his erratic nature. Barker, on the other hand, lacks the consistency required to deliver the goods week-in week-out.
Rangers Are Still Interested In Newcastle United’s Jacob Murphy: Do They Need Him?
With Rangers seemingly aiming to put an end to Celtic’s dominance in the league, having depth across all the positions on the pitch is extremely important. Despite the early injury scares, the Ibrox club have weathered the storm satisfactorily, and their form has come as an added advantage. Another spell of injuries though has the potential to completely throw Gerrard’s attacking ambitions into turmoil. The fact that Murphy starts for a team like Newcastle shows the quality that he has got, and if they’re given the chance to bring him in, there’s no reason why signing him would be a bad move by the Gers.
