‘GOLDSON IS A £20m PLAYER’

Rangers’ new signing is a real steal at £3m, says former Brighton team-mate Rosenior

AT first glance, Rangers are signing a 25-year-old fringe player for more than £3million, who has not featured in a great deal of first-team football in two seasons. To the trained eye of the Brighton team-mate, who played a blinding behind-the-scenes manoeuvre to trigger the transfer, Rangers have secured a £20m future England centre-half.

Connor Goldson is the defender on whom Steven Gerrard has opted to spend a sizeable chunk of his Ibrox budget — but the fee is ‘a steal’, according to Liam Rosenior.

Wing-back Rosenior rates Goldson at least in the class of Harry Maguire, who has punched his ticket to Russia with England, and predicts the high-pressure experience of Rangers will prove a stepping stone to the next World Cup for his former colleague.

While Shane Duffy and Lewis Dunk were defensive rocks on which Brighton’s top-flight season

stayed afloat, Goldson was left on the bench by manager Chris Hughton for the bulk of the campaign.

But from first-hand experience of the club’s ultimately comfortable Premier League survival, Rosenior — a regular on Sky Sports’ chat show The Debate — can explain why Goldson fits the category of hidden gem.

‘If Connor had played a few more games for Brighton, then this move probably wouldn’t have happened,’ said Rosenior (below).

‘If he’d featured anywhere near regularly for Brighton, then we would be talking about a £20m centre-half — not a £3m one.

‘Connor was really unfortunate that he had Duffy and Dunk in front of him. Neither had injuries. Both were outstanding.

‘Had Connor been given much of a chance at Premier-League level, we all knew he had it in him. He can be anything he wants to be. He is 25, still young for a centre-half.

‘If he has gone to Rangers for around £3m, that’s some steal — because I think he will be an England centre-half. I’ve played with Lewis Dunk, who’s the best young English one right now.

‘There’s Harry Maguire, who was at Hull and now Leicester. And I would say Connor could comfortably be in that bracket. I don’t see any difference.

‘He just needs games now to go out and show it. It was about getting that opportunity — and now he has an amazing one.’

Goldson can be assured that 33-year-old former defensive team-mate Rosenior took it upon himself to bring that opportunity to his door.

Rosenior listened often enough to the new Rangers signing dreamily illuminating him and the rest of his Brighton pals about his ambition to meet Gerrard.

In Belfast recently, Rosenior plotted up the best possible way to make that happen.

Rosenior has been working on his UEFA Pro Licence with one of Gerrard’s coaching recruits, the highly regarded former Liverpool Under-23 coach Michael Beale.

Rosenior said: ‘I knew Rangers were looking for players and, while I didn’t know Connor’s situation for sure, I told Michael: “There is a gem at Brighton who might be available”.

‘He put Connor’s name to the manager (Gerrard) and obviously liked what he saw. So it’s good for me to play a little part in that move.

‘You have these conversations and most of the time it doesn’t happen. So it’s pleasing and good to know that he couldn’t be in better hands.

‘Connor is a massive Liverpool fan. He used to say how much he’d love to meet Gerrard one day or get the chance to play against him. I don’t think he got his wish at Brighton. ‘What a chance this is. It’s funny how these things work out. I know Steven made a huge attempt to get him. So I know Connor wouldn’t want to let his hero down. ‘Now he can go and impress his childhood idol. It happened to me when, as a massive Manchester United fan, I signed for Ipswich and Roy Keane. ‘We all have idols and dreams. And when it works out that way, it can give you great motivation. I think it will be a great experience and a different type of challenge for Connor playing for such a big club, one that expects to win trophies and win week in, week out.

‘He’s a fantastic player and this is the right time for him.’

Gareth McAuley, the veteran West Brom centre-half and Northern Ireland hero, has been touted as a potential mentor for Goldson as Gerrard constructs major surgery to a chaotic Ibrox back line.

There were 11 different central defensive partnerships picked by three managers last season.

According to Rosenior, Goldson already possesses the qualities to be the anchor of a new Rangers rearguard.

‘We signed him from Shrewsbury and he played a massive part when we just missed out on automatic promotion by only one goal the year before we went up,’ said Rosenior.

‘His performances were outstanding. He was one of the best young centre-halves in the country. He and Lewis were a similar age, 22, and playing at the top of the Championship, so both lads found their way together.

‘Connor is a good tackler, is organised and not someone who needs to play with an experienced pro. Having said that, I played alongside Gareth, so if you have Connor’s skill and Gareth’s aerial ability, that’s a good combination.

‘But Connor is not just a defender He comes out with the ball, starts attacks, takes the ball from the keeper. Even though he’s relatively young, he’s a leader in a dressing room. Captain at Shrewsbury at a young age, he demands of others.

‘He can organise those around him. He’s very good on the ball, which is going to be important for the way Gerrard will want to play.

‘He is 6ft 3in and he is quick. He’s got everything in his make-up to do well.’

It wasn’t only the sporting misfortune of being in the same squad as the excellent Hughton’s twin towers of Dunk and Duffy that has held back Goldson.

Routine cardiac screening detected a risk to his heart in February of last year and he underwent preventative surgery.

The discovery of a swollen aorta could have had fatal ramifications had Goldson carried on playing while unaware of the issue.

He was back in action in August and made a Premier League debut in December, receiving a man-ofthe-match award on his return — a 1-0 victory over Watford.

‘If he’d kept on playing, there was a huge threat to his life and he might have had to retire if the surgery didn’t go okay,’ said Rosenior.

‘It sums him up as a lad that not only did he come back from it, but he came back stronger. He’s a resilient boy.’

It’s not only the shrewd signing of his team-mate that has left Rosenior impressed by Rangers. Their coaching recruits are also highly regarded.

Beale never made the grade as a player but has an intriguing CV of coaching work with Chelsea, Liverpool and Sao Paolo in Brazil.

‘I’ve been around Michael on and off over the last two years,’ said Rosenior. ‘He’s an outstanding coach and I’m not surprised Stevie took him. For assessments and presentations, he’s always the best.

‘Steven Gerrard is a fantastic man. I’ve a good feeling about Rangers this year. Connor is a fantastic signing and if that’s the route Rangers are taking, then I think they are in for a very good year.’

I believe that Connor will be an England centre-half in the near future