‘Wrexham deal Rangers blow in Josh Windass pursuit’
Rangers have been dealt a major blow in their bid to re-sign Josh Windass.
Windass is currently available as a free agent after mutually terminating his Sheffield Wednesday contract amid a pay dispute between the club and their players.
The 31-year-old is in high demand after registering a team-high 13 Championship goals last season, also chipping in with five assists.
Rangers were understood to be frontrunners for Windass’ signature, thanks in no small part to his previous spell at the club between 2016 and 2018 that yielded 19 goals in 73 appearances.
Rangers set to miss out on Josh Windass
Rangers must now go back to the drawing board when it comes to bolstering their forward line.
| Stat | Josh Windass |
| Appearances | 73 |
| Goals | 19 |
| Assists | 13 |
That’s because ambitious Championship side Wrexham have agreed personal terms with Windass, with a medical scheduled for early next week, according to Ben Jacobs and Tom Bogert of GiveMeSport (20 July).
Fellow second tier sides Norwich and Coventry are thought to be attempting to hijack the deal, but Wrexham remain in the boxseat having held ‘remote talks’ with the player.
Should he complete a deal, Windass will join Danny Ward, Liberato Cacace and Ryan Hardle as Wrexham’s fourth signing of the summer.
Jack Butland backed to respond to Rushworth pressure
While they’re set to miss out on Butland, Rangers are close to concluding a deal to bring goalkeeper Carl Rushworth from Brighton.
It was initially thought Rushworth’s arrival could see Jack Butland leave the club after a downturn in form last season.
However, former England stopper Paul Robinson has backed Butland to keep his spot at the start of the season, with Rushworth’s arrival possibly even spurring him back to his best form.
“It wouldn’t be a replacement [for Jack Butland]”, Robinson told Football Insider.
“You look at Rushworth, there’s a lot of potential there. He’s 24 now, but he’s highly thought of – very, very highly thought of.
“It’s an opportunity for him to go to Rangers to put pressure on Butland – Butland starts the season and he’s there to put pressure on him – but the opportunity to go to Rangers doesn’t often come around.
“So if he goes to Rangers, rolls the dice and takes the chance, he could be playing by September, October and could have a fantastic season there.
“It’s a risk, as he’s not going to get guaranteed first team football, but it certainly will put pressure on Jack Butland because the speculation about his future still doesn’t go away, does it?”