Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale enjoyed his first transfer window in charge of the Scottish giants last month as he brought in two players to bolster his squad.
Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin both came in on permanent deals, from Norwich and Standard Liege respectively, and could win their first trophy with the Gers in the League Cup final on Sunday.
One player who will not be involved in the match after Rangers failed to snap him up in January, however, is wide forward Morgan Whittaker.
Do Rangers want to sign Morgan Whittaker?
The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell confirmed that the Light Blues were interested in signing the young attacker but the club were unable to tempt Swansea into parting ways with him.
Former Gers full-back Alan Hutton has backed Ross Wilson and Michael Beale to go back in for the gem in the summer, telling Football Insider: “He gives you a different sort of option from the right, coming in on the left. I think they have missed that area of the pitch since [Joe] Aribo left even though the likes of [Fashion] Sakala have stepped up.
Would Whittaker be a good signing for Rangers?
Yes
No
“I think they will revisit it if they can make it happen in the summer. It did not quite work in January but I think it is someone that will still be high up on Michael Beale’s list.”
Aribo was a terrific performer for Rangers prior to his move to Southampton last summer. He enjoyed a superb 2021/22 campaign as he scored nine goals and provided ten assists in all competitions – playing as a number 10 and as a right winger, cutting inside onto his left foot from a wide position.
As Hutton said, Beale does not have a similar player to the Nigeria international in the current squad and the left-footed Whittaker could come in as an Aribo 2.0 at Ibrox in the summer.
The forward, who ex-Reading forward Jobi McAnuff once hailed as “fluid” and “fantastic“, scored in his first Championship start for Swansea this season at the weekend and enjoyed an excellent first half of the campaign with Plymouth on loan.
In 19 starts for the League One outfit, the 22-year-old produced an eye-catching nine goals and seven assists whilst mainly playing as a number ten or out wide on the right.
Like Aribo, Whittaker is a left-footed forward who operates in the positions behind a number nine and has the quality to cut inside onto his favoured foot to score and create goals on a regular basis.
Therefore, Beale could land the club’s next version of the now-Southampton midfielder by reigniting his interest in the Swansea star at the end of the season.
