Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
KAMARA WILL CLICK AT GERS
NEIL MCCANN last night backed Glen Kamara to make the grade at Rangers – then earn them a fortune in the transfer market.
Former Dundee boss Mccann is the man who handed Kamara a route into the Scottish top flight 18 months ago after the Finn had left Arsenal for a handful of loan appearances at Southend and Colchester.
Now Kamara is on the verge of clinching a dream deal at Ibrox after undergoing a medical in Glasgow yesterday.
The 23-year-old is set to sign a pre-contract agreement to join Steven Gerrard’s squad as a free agent in the summer but a cut-price deal could yet be done between the clubs to allow him to make the move this month.
Mccann said: “I’m not surprised in the slightest by the Rangers interest.
“I wouldn’t have been surprised if he had gone done south either as I’ve heard recently Swansea, Cardiff, Sunderland and a few others have been looking at him.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if a Premier League team took him either. Put it this way, his next move is not going to be his last move. Wherever he goes now, he’s going to make that club an awful lot of money.
“I know what it takes to play at a club like Rangers. If it was to be Rangers or any of the other clubs mentioned, Glen could play there easily.”
Gerrard continued his January shopping spree yesterday by capturing Kilmarnock winger Jordan Jones, who was also booked in for a medical before signing a pre-contract deal.
Killie’s 24-year-old Northern Ireland international will move to Ibrox in the summer.
While Dundee are open to a deal that would let Kamara leave immediately, Kilmarnock have no plans to accelerate the departure of talisman Jones.
With Stevie Clarke’s side just a point behind Rangers going into the winter break, the Rugby Park outfit are relaxed about the winger’s situation.
But Rangers do hope to have Jermain Defoe and Steven Davis tied up in time to make the travelling party for Sunday’s flight to
Tenerife for warm weather training.
Veteran hitman Defoe is set to complete a medical today ahead of signing an 18-month loan deal from Bournemouth, with Davis due to join him when he completes his Ibrox return from Southampton at the start of the week.
Defoe’s move comes as the Cherries snapped up Dominic Solanke, previously linked with a move to Rangers, in a £19million deal.