When it comes to the Premier League, it’s fair to say Rangers are shopping in a whole different transfer market.
The riches on offer in English football’s top flight allows the likes of Bournemouth to potentially outmanoeuvre Barcelona with Scottish football’s income a speck on the billions of broadcasting bucks down south.
It means Rangers have to box clever when it comes to securing knockout transfers with the pre-contract market one of the most cost-effective places for the Ibrox side to fight it out.
But amid reports Rangers are hoping to convince one Premier League star of a shot at Ibrox glory, the player’s current club have officially announced they’ve got different plans.
Premier League talks with Johnson confirmed
It’s fair to say the links between Rangers and Ben Johnson have always been a tad ambitious.
The 24-year-old West Ham full-back made 14 Premier League appearances last season and Rangers have been mentioned as the defender’s contract expires in east London.
First linked all the way back in January, over the weekend the reports resurfaced with Rangers, Crystal Palace and Leeds United all holding a ‘concrete interest’ in the defender.
Amid reports back in December that Johnson wants £60k per week – or £3.12m per season – we’ve always been a tad sceptical that the Ibrox side would stump up this outlay.
It’s almost double the amount paid to Rangers’ highest earner and if the club was to break the bank like this for a new signing, other areas of the squad are certainly a greater priority.
After all, it’s not like we aren’t already stacked at right-back even amid chatter surrounding the future of James Tavernier.
Now, as West Ham officially announce who will be leaving the club at the end of their contracts, the situation has taken a fresh twist.
Similarly to the case of Reuell Walters at Arsenal, the Hammers claim that as things stand they are still locked in contract negotiations with the defender.
An excerpt from an official statement reads: “the Club can also confirm that it remains in talks with Ben Johnson and Divin Mubamaregarding potential new contracts.”
Rangers transfer risk assessed
As explained, if Rangers are up against the likes of West Ham and Crystal Palace in the Premier League, financially we just cannot compete.
Even Leeds United in the Championship is a bridge too far.
But what Rangers can offer is the chance to win silverware, the chance for Johnson to play, and the opportunity to potentially gain experience in the Champions League.
Not to mention the legacy which is associated with playing in front of 50k fans at Ibrox every week for the Famous Glasgow Rangers.
Whilst the links to Ben Johnson persist we’ll continue to cover them but it’s clear West Ham are not prepared to let the Olympic Stadium academy product leave for nothing.
English-trained footballers are worth a pretty penny – just look at Jarrad Branthwaite – with the fact Johnson is technically trained at West Ham only bolstering his value to the London club.
In the cash-rich Premier League, striking a £60k per week contract is still a sizeable expense but it’s certainly not anywhere near as big a risk as such a deal would be for Rangers.
With West Ham confirming they’re locked in talks with Johnson over a new contract, we’d be very surprised if it’s a risk the Ibrox side take.
