Transfer latest - The Herald

[Gazza_8 233]

Poor old Graeme Smith, he's another Alan Gow! WS buys him on a free, never plays him and is then booted out the door. What a waste of 18 months.

 

Darcheville and Smith to lead Ibrox clear-out

 

The Rangers exodus looks set to begin with the departure of Jean-Claude Darcheville to Valenciennes. The Herald understands Steven Smith will follow with an initial six-month loan move to the Coca-Cola Championship.

 

Clearing out up to 10 players would give Walter Smith the latitude to bring in a central defender to shore up his defence. It is estimated Rangers are paying around �£100,000 per week in wages to players who are not regularly involved in the first team, a waste of resources that the chairman, Sir David Murray, will no longer permit.

 

Last night, the Spartak Moscow centre-back, Martin Stranzl, became the latest to be linked with a January move as a long-term replacement for the 38-year-old David Weir, but any arrival will depend on the scale of departures. Rangers are not in a position to offer severance payments to terminate contracts.

 

Darcheville, who will be allowed to leave on a free transfer, visited the French Ligue 1 side's training academy and met the club directors on Tuesday.

 

He is one of the highest earners at Ibrox, having doubled his salary to a reputed �£20,000 per week when he left Bordeaux on a Bosman in the summer of 2007. Yet he has scored only once in 10 appearances this season, in the 2-0 win against Aberdeen at Ibrox last month.

 

A deal could be agreed in the next 24 hours and Francis Decourriere, the Valenciennes president, was excited at the prospect of Darcheville's arrival. "It would be a great reinforcement for us," he said. "I have a lot of hope for this and am enthusiastic about the idea of him signing."

 

Rangers have been linked with a move for Tonel, the Sporting Lisbon centre-back, but the Portuguese club have placed a prohibitive �£2.3m valuation on the defender, who would also command wages in the region of �£25,000.

 

A move for Stranzl, once on Celtic's radar, is more realistic. The 6ft 3in Austrian internationalist would cost about �£1m and his agent, Thomas Boehm, said his client is receptive, although Fulham, West Ham United and Everton have also expressed interest.

"Martin has said before that he is keen to play for one of the top clubs in England and Scotland and he would be keen on Rangers," said Boehme. "His goal is to play in the UK. He has had teams looking at him for many years now as he is an experienced international who has all the attributes for the British game."

 

Rangers are adamant that the arrival of a centre-back will not put Madjid Bougherra's future in doubt. Rumours persist that the club would be prepared to cash in on the Algerian as they did with Carlos Cuellar. Marseille are expected to make an offer for him, but Rangers are keen to reinforce their defence.

 

Steven Smith is expected to end a miserable two years by reviving his career in the Coca-Cola Championship. The Herald understands three clubs are keen to take the 23-year-old on loan until the end of the season and a decision could be made by the end of the week. Smith has played only once in nearly two years, suffering from a serious pelvic problem and, more recently, undergoing a hernia operation. Rangers have agreed to let him leave on loan in the hope he can re-establish his previous form.

 

Rangers will also be open to offers for Brahim Hemdani, Charlie Adam, Graeme Smith, Chris Burke, DaMarcus Beasley, Lee McCulloch and Christian Dailly.

[Frankie 8,552]

Tonel and Stranzl both interest me but as has been said we must move on fringe players before we sign new ones.

[juffery 0]

Don't know much about Tonel, but Stranzl would be a good signing I think.

[Gribz 846]

I hope Marseille buggar off with this rumour about Bougherra. We need him to stay but i wouldnt be surprised to see him sold.

[Super_Ally 0]

JCD is one of the highest earners at the club!

[theboyharley 5]

Rangers are clearly doing something wrong in terms of selling fringe players. I cant remember the last time we recieved a reasonable fee for a fringe player. We will just give away players. What does Martin Bain get paid for. Surely someone else could come in and at least make us a bit of money by selling our players.

 

I hate that everytime someone comes in for a Celtic fringe player then they recieve a few million for them. But when our players leave, they leave for free.

 

Sad times

[Super_Ally 0]

Rangers are clearly doing something wrong in terms of selling fringe players. I cant remember the last time we recieved a reasonable fee for a fringe player. We will just give away players. What does Martin Bain get paid for. Surely someone else could come in and at least make us a bit of money by selling our players.

 

I hate that everytime someone comes in for a Celtic fringe player then they recieve a few million for them. But when our players leave, they leave for free.

 

Sad times

 

It is frustrating. When you include the wages paid we always seem to make huge losses. Whereas Celtic sell on useless fringe players for millions.

[Cotter 0]

Hold on a minute. JCD is on 20k a week FFS? He was already in his thirties when we signed him and has never been prolific. What a fucking joke.

 

I'd be happy with Stranzl, Tonel or Berra to partner Magic. I just hope we finally get to realise the dream of having two quality CBs in the team rather than shipping one out to replace him with another. Seems like I've been waiting on this for years.

[Wija 0]

Re-inforce the defence by selling Bougherra? Is that not slightly backward?

[Bluedell 5,614]

It is frustrating. When you include the wages paid we always seem to make huge losses. Whereas Celtic sell on useless fringe players for millions.

 

Or so they say. Whether reality shows that they receive as much as they say is another question.