Exclusive: Rangers open preliminary talks to sign Jamie Vardy
Rangers are accelerating their pursuit of former Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy and have held preliminary talks over a deal, sources have told Football Insider.
Vardy, 38, is the subject of interest from a number of sides worldwide, including clubs in the United States.
Russell Martin wants to bolster his attack ahead of the upcoming campaign, and feels that the former England international would be a smart signing.
The forward departed Leicester following the expiration of his contract last month, after a 13-year spell at the King Power Stadium.
Rangers set sights on ‘proven goalscorer’ Vardy
Vardy left the Foxes as a club legend with 200 club goals to his name in 500 appearances for the East Midlands side, and is a proven goalscorer at the top level.
The 38-year-old also has two Premier League Golden Boot awards to his name, and sits 14th in the league’s all-time top scorer list with 145.
Rangers have set their sights on the Leicester legend after his proposed move to Italian side Genoa was vetoed by manager Patrick Viera.
The forward could potentially come in as a replacement for Hamza Igamane, who has been heavily linked with a move to Lille this summer.
Last season, the Gers finished 17 points behind arch-rivals Celtic, and they are looking to bridge that gap before the new campaign begins.
Rangers owners bankroll £20m injection
Meanwhile, Rangers have received a £20million injection from their owners in the form of a new share issue, sources have told Football Insider.
As per a Companies House submission on 30 June, the club’s holding company Rangers International Football Club Limited has issued 100 million shares
Each share was purchased at 20 pence per one pence share, taking the total investment to £20million.
It comes after Rangers’ new owners committed to investing £20million after agreeing to purchase a majority stake at Ibrox.
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