If a report from the Scottish Sun is believed to be true, Rangers youngster Robby McCrorie has emerged as a summer target for Manchester United. Dean Henderson is close to joining newly promoted Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan and the Red Devils are in the hunt for a new custodian to be the understudy of David De Gea between the sticks.
It was thought to be the end of Allan McGregor at Rangers when he was introduced as a late substitute against Hearts in the Scottish Cup final. The gesture from Giovanni van Bronckhorst made the Hampden crowd emotional in their final fixture of the 2021-22 season. Despite the contract expiry, the 40-year-old veteran was not ready to hang up his gloves and the Scotsman has now signed a new deal at Ibrox.
While Jon McLaughlin is likely to grab the ‘number 1’ status having been deployed sporadically over the past couple of campaigns, McGregor’s extension has further jeopardised McCrorie’s future at his boyhood club.
The 24-year-old former Scotland youth international has received several senior call-ups in spite of limited minutes donning the Light Blues’ colours. The loan spells with Berwick Rangers, Greenock Morton and Queen of the South helped him develop his first-team status and the impressive stints in the lower leagues saw him completing a loan move to Livingston around two-and-a-half years back.
Why Rangers Should Listen To Offers For Their Highly-rated Custodian
Meanwhile, the regular gametime in the Premiership did not improve his Rangers situation. His heroics earned them an Old Firm win against Celtic early into the 2020-21 term, however, the shot-stopper did not feature ever since even after Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s arrival as the new Ibrox chief replacing Steven Gerrard. Clubs from north and south of the border are keen on having McCrorie in their ranks, but the Gers are unlikely to hand him an immediate starting role ahead of the two experienced Scots. His current deal is set to expire next summer and the Glasgow giants must aim for a monetary gain over losing him for nothing a year later.
Man United, on the other hand, brought back Tom Heaton on a Bosman to maintain the depth in the last line of defence. But the Englishman stayed as the third-choice behind De Gea and Henderson with only one substitute appearance so far. The 36-year-old is not viewed as a ‘number 2’ if Henderson departs and a move to Old Trafford, therefore, would benefit McCrorie in the long run.
