Rangers must pounce to re-sign brilliant 23-year-old after huge transfer development
COMMENT By Richard Parks
Rangers must make stunning move to re-sign Barrie McKay from Nottingham Forest less than a year after he was given his marching orders.
The Ibrox academy product would be a brilliant addition to Steven Gerrard's squad as the manager begins the process of beefing up a team that has fallen woefully short this season.
Forest finished in 17th place in the Championship this season and Karanka feels big decisions need to be made on the squad if they are to challenge for promotion next season.
McKay, 23, was brought to the City Ground last summer by ex-Rangers boss Mark Warburton and was a mainstay of the team in the opening half of the season, scoring five goals and seven assists by early December.
But the attacking midfielder was frozen out virtually from the moment Karanka took over and has made just two league appearances since January.
With the former Middlesbrough boss clearly not a big admirer of McKay, Rangers must take advantage to bring the one-time Scotland international back to Ibrox.
It would be a travesty if a player of such sumptuous technique and class was sidelined or left wasting away for much longer.
McKay was the shining light of the Rangers team under Warburton and had clocked up 140 senior appearances before Pedro Caixinha made the baffling decision to sell him.
It was a decision that did not go down well with Bears, who would love it if Gerrard and recruitment chief Mark Allen could bring him back to Glasgow.