Report: Rangers release squad for US tour, summer signing omitted

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Published on:

16 Jun 2016, 2:26 am

By Alex Stevens

Joey Barton is set to miss Rangers' pre-season tour of the United States starting at the end of the month, according to a report.

The Scottish Sun claim the name of the Light Blues' headline summer signing was not on a visa squad list forwarded to the US Embassy by the club.

Barton, who is currently in France working as a pundit at Euro 2016 for talkSPORT, has been given extra time off after his Championship title win with Burnley.

However, it is said he was not certain to be allowed into the States as he has a criminal record and was denied entry for a similar trip with Newcastle.

But Rangers look to have avoided the problem by leaving Barton at home when they head to the US on 27 June for a tour that will be pivotal to the club's preparations for the new campaign.

Mark Warburton's side are back in the top flight after a four-year spell in the lower leagues and are aiming to build a squad that can narrow the gap on five-times title winners Celtic.

Barton, 33, is one of four summer signings to date after rejecting an offer from Burnley to sign a two-year deal with the Scottish giants.

In other Rangers news, an international midfielder has claimed that he is on the verge of completing a transfer to Ibrox.

Rangers

Joey Barton