NI skipper Davis set to seal Ibrox comeback in January switch
RANGERS are poised to swoop for Steven Davis in January, following months of speculation linking the Northern Ireland captain to his former club.
The Southampton midfielder quit Ibrox in a move to St Mary’s in 2012 with the aim of reviving his career, yet now is looking north of the border for regular game time — starting with a loan move.
Davis has been repeatedly linked with a return to his boyhood club, which he was careful never once to close the door on, yet persevered with the dream of reigniting his Premier League career.
The 33-year old has, however, become increasingly frustrated with a lack of game time in the English top flight this season, and is yet to start in a league fixture.
In the last campaign, Davis had better luck, playing the number 10 role in a three-man midfield, yet boss Mark Hughes now deploys two defensively-minded central midfielders in Oriol Romeu and Mario Lemina, leaving the Northern Ireland skipper frozen out.
The Gers were keen on securing his return in the summer transfer window, but Hughes couldn’t be persuaded to strike a deal.
The Belfast Telegraph now understands plans are under way to bring drifting Davis in under a loan agreement at first, with the option to sign him permanently.
It comes after the creative player’s persistent trouble with hamstring and achilles injuries snuffed out an automatic oneyear extension on his contract, sparking Rangers into action.
Davis racked up over 200 appearances with Rangers in his four seasons with the club, helping guide them to a Uefa Cup Final in 2008 after he was loaned from Fulham.
Thereafter he became a firm favourite, going on to win three league championships, two Scottish Cups and three League Cups.
Gers boss Steven Gerrard will hope his experience can help sustain a title challenge in the second half of the season, alongside international team-mates Kyle Lafferty and Gareth McAuley. RANGERS manager Steven Gerrard insists his belief in his players has not changed despite his frustration over their Hampden defeat.
Gerrard warned after Sunday’s 1-0 Betfred Cup semi-final loss to Aberdeen that his players must improve their quality in the final third or he would find replacements.
The squad have their first chance to show a reaction when they host Kilmarnock tonight, and Gerrard has strikers Alfredo Morelos and Kyle Lafferty available again.
And the Ibrox boss has told his players to go out and make it up to the supporters.
“The players look ready and raring to go,” the former Liverpool captain said.
“We have analysed it and spoken to individual players and spoke to the team collectively but there’s nothing we can do to change the result.
“It was a disappointment, but good teams and good players react in the right way and try to get back to winning ways.
“And we’ve got a good group