GERRARD EYES AN ED START
Rangers boss mulls a move for Oldham defender to ignite summer buy spree
RANGERS are considering a move for Oldham defender George Edmundson as Steven Gerrard steps up his summer recruitment drive.
The 21-year-old has emerged as a key target for the Light Blues with Gerrard on the hunt for a central
FROM BACK PAGE defender after losing out to Bordeaux in a bid to land Rennes ace Edson Mexer.
Joe Worrall will return to Nottingham Forest after his season-long loan with veteran Gareth McAuley’s contract also due to expire.
That leaves the Gers boss with first-choice pairing Connor Goldson and Nikola Katic as his only real central-defensive options and he is keen to strengthen in the heart of the rearguard with John Souttar also on the radar.
And, amid claims he was even given a VIP tour of the club’s Hummel Training Centre last week, Edmundson fits the bill with the player almost certain to leave Boundary Park this summer.
Edumundson still has a year left on his contract at the Latics – who finished 14th in England’s League Two – where he progressed through the youth ranks.
But Record Sport can reveal the player’s agent met with club chiefs for talks over his future and they could be willing to listen to offers for the defender.
Scunthorpe had a £200,000 bid rejected in January and Oldham have already knocked back offers of more than £500,000 with the suggestion being the bidding would need to start in seven figures with add-ons.
Chairman Abdallah Lemsagam is a renowned businessman who is known to drive a hard bargain and that will be the same with any bids for Edmundson.
Rangers are one of a string of clubs interested with Championship sides Stoke, Hull and Preston in the mix along with Jack Ross at Sunderland who hopes to win promotion to England’s second tier through the play-offs.
Oldham are now bracing themselves for concrete bids and Rangers are likely to enter the race with Gerrard admitting he held positive talks with Dave King over transfer business.
Edmundson – a physical defender who stands at 6ft 3in – made his Oldham debut four years ago as a highly-rated teenager and has enjoyed loan spells at Ramsbottom United, Alfreton Town and AFC Fylde for experience.
After winning Oldham’s Players’ Player of the Year award and being named in League Two’s team of the season he now feels ready to make the step up.
And if Gers are successful in any move he will join Motherwell winger Jake Hastie and Kilmarnock’s Jordan Jones, while Greg Stewart, who is on loan at Aberdeen, will also come in from Birmingham in the summer.