Rangers FC boss Steven Gerrard has reportedly failed to sign midfielder Pedro Chirivella on a free transfer from Liverpool.
Over the past couple of days, there have been reports of Pedro Chirivella moving out of Anfield at the end of the season and also the fact that Steven Gerrard was eager to bring the 22-year-old to Ibrox.
But according to Duncan Castles, the Premiership club might fail to pull the deal through despite all the influence from Steven Gerrard.
Speaking on the Transfer Window podcast, Castles said: “This would be a free transfer because he would be moving across national borders, even though the wages I think are going to be a maximum of £15,000 per week, probably less, Rangers haven’t been able to complete that deal.
“That I’m told is regardless of the fact that Gerrard is pushing very heavily to sign the player and install him in Rangers’ midfield for next season. They’ve had to aggressively rethink their transfer policy for the coming season I’m told and can’t do deals of any great financial significance.”
Is the Steven Gerrard aura fading at Ibrox?
Now speaking on this very same failed transfer Noel Whelan has told Football Insider how Steven Gerrard will be really upset with the fact that he has not been able to lure the midfielder into the club.
Whelan told Football Insider: “When you think about how it’s £15,000-a-week and there’s no fees, you’ve got to look at it as an investment.
“I’m sure Steven will be pulling his hair out thinking: ‘What do we need to do here, how are we going to compete with Celtic if you can’t give me the funds that are going to make us a better side – players that are going to improve us and give us a better chance of challenging?’
“£15,000-a-week is not that much these days, it really isn’t. That’ll probably be average, if not below, what they’re getting paid, especially at a big club like that. I would expect that to be a snip.”
When Rangers FC appointed Gerrard as their new manager, it was more or less a guarantee that the former England international will be able to attract a lot of talented players.
But apart from a handful, not many youngsters have shown faith in the Steven Gerrard project at Rangers.
The Liverpool legend has used his connections to make a flurry of signings over the past two years but most of them have turned out to be duds while Celtic, on the other hand, have been bringing in top quality players almost every transfer window.
The Gers have not managed to pick up a single silverware in the past two seasons and many experts feel, it’s time the Rangers management started asking some tough questions to their manager.
