Available on a free after release: Rangers must gazump Hibernian to complete striker signing

Published on:

25 Jul 2017, 1:34 am

COMMENT By Will Butcher

Rangers must beat Hibernian to the signing of former Celtic striker Anthony Stokes this summer in order to push the Gers closer to Brendan Rodgers' high flyers.

League One side Blackburn confirmed on their official website that the 28-year-old forward had been released from the Lancashire club, as he looks for a new home.

The Sun claim newly-promoted Hibernian want Stokes to fire them to Scottish Premiership safety after gaining promotion to the top flight of Scottish football as champions.

Stokes has played for Hibernian in two spells, joining the club from Sunderland back in 2009 for a season before being sent on loan from Celtic during the second half of the 2015-16 season.

However, Football Insider believes Rangers would push themselves to within a whisker of their Old Firm rivals if they completed a shock move to sign Stokes despite being an ex-Bhoy.

Here are three reasons why, including how Stokes would prove a massive improvement on two of the Gers' current strikers:

Spells with Celtic, Hibernian and a short stint at Falkirk has seen Stokes become renowned as one of the deadliest strikers in the Scottish Premiership to date.

Making 191 appearances in the top tier, Stokes has found the back of the net more than once every two games with 95 goals in that time, as well proving creative in the final third with 50 assists.

That proven eye for goal and attacking nous to create one too would be crucial at Rangers if they were able to beat Hibernian to Stokes' signature.

Making nine signings at Ibrox including the likes of Mexico internationals Eduardo Herrera and Carlos Pena as well as former Norwich midfielder Graham Dorrans, Caixinha's transfer budget will be sparce.

With recruitment likely to continue for the remaining six weeks off the transfer window, the former Santos Laguna manager must look to secure a number of freebies or bargain deals.

After his release, Stokes is available on a free and would prove a top addition to the Gers side if Caixinha can tempt the nine-time Ireland international to move to Ibrox.

Following the signings of both Herrera and Alfredo Morelos, both Martyn Waghorn and Joe Dodoo will be required to add back-up to the strikers as Caixinha chooses between his new recruits to lead Rangers into attack.

However, Dodoo and Waghorn were way below par in the blue of Rangers last season, managing a combined 10 goals in their Scottish Premiership outings.

Caixinha should look to offload both strikers, as he has done with Joe Garner, and instead bring in Stokes as their replacement.

In other Rangers transfer news, this Everton starlet would be the perfect addition to Caixinha's side this summer after starring in pre-season for the Toffees.

We’ve launched a << BREAKING NEWS FEED>> exclusively for your club. ‘Like Us’ on Facebook by clicking here if you want 24/7 updates on all Rangers breaking news.

Rangers