Gers target Adrian but face a fight for Accrington pair
RANGERS have made their move to pick up Crystal Palace defender Adrian Mariappa under freedom of contract.
It is understood the 29- year- old central defender has been tracked by the Light Blues head of recruitment Frank McParland.
Rangers’ desire to bring the Jamaican north has been communicated to the player and a deal could be tied up this week.
If so, he would become Mark Warburton’s sixth signing of the summer joining Clint Hill, Joey Barton, Jordan Rossiter, Matt Crooks and Josh Windass.
Croatian inter nationalist Ni co Krancjar has also been lined up on a two-year deal.
Rangers are, though, facing a race against time to get Crooks and Windass cleared to travel to America due to an acrimonious dispute with Accrington Stanley.
The Light Blues are set to fly out to Charleston, South Carolina, next Sunday for a 10-day training camp that includes a friendly against Charleston Battery.
But Stanley who have the pair under contract until Thursday week, have dramatically refused them permission to train with their new club.
The English fourth- tier outfit, managed by Scot Derek Adams, say they have done so because are they unhappy no compensation has been agreed six months after the players signed their precontract deals with the Light Blues.
Rangers, for their part, blame Stanley for failing to provide the detail necessary to get the matter sorted.
“We have written to Rangers informing them of our position and have copied in the FA and the Scottish FA,” said Stanley owner, businessman Andy Holt.
“Until the compensation package has been agreed, they are our players. So they shouldn’t be allowed to train with Rangers. We have them contracted until June 30.
“They’ve got two great players for nothing so the least they can do is pay up properly and stop playing games.
“I believe they are up there in Glasgow. I have an email from Rangers requesting they train but I’m refusing permission until compensation is agreed.”
Rangers insist they are happy to pay the training compensation, due because the players are under 23 and moving cross border, but first require the cooperation of Stanley in providing all necessary detail to allow them to do so.
The transfers have been controversial from the beginning with Stanley unhappy about losing two of their stars for only a small amount of compensation.
Manager John Coleman was also critical of the players for tweeting about their decision back in January.
Speaking then, he said their action had “disrespected” Accr i ngton’s support.
Meanwhile, Mark Hateley believes Rangers’ trip to the US will provide Warburton’s cluster of new recruits with the perfect platform from which to kick on in the new season.
“It will be invaluable,” said Light Blues legend Hateley.
“It will give them a chance to embed themselves into a club that’s rich in history, and get a taste of what’s expected of everybody.
“That’s the importance of being away and isolating people – getting them away from their families and concentrating on what’s going to be a tough season.
“That isolation is a good thing, without a shadow of a doubt. “It allows you to focus properly. “I didn’t look at the games coming up when I played. I focused on the first day of pre- season, then the second and so on.
“After that, you’d look for the first Old Firm game and the first game of the season.
“But first you need your fitness to prove that you’re ready.
“Mark will be concentrating on that, and nothing else.”