Gers tipped for £15m move for once-linked striker

There was a time when Oli McBurnie was close to becoming a Rangers player and would have been warmly received by fans, however, I’m not sure that time is now.

The Daily Mail has claimed that we have renewed an interest from three seasons ago and will be expected to pay in the region of £15million for the Scotland international, not exactly loose change for a player who has scored just one goal and created one assist all season – at least Tore Andre Flo left with a goal every other game for his £12m fee.

Personally, I think McBurnie gets a hard time, he’s playing for a team that made very poor recruitment decisions in the summer and has had very little to work with, similar to what he has had to deal with playing for Steve Clarke’s Scotland, yes he is tall, but his best work is done with the ball played into his feet.

The role that we have seen Alfredo Morelos almost perfect this season is something that McBurnie would be expected to do, drop deep, link play, create space for others but also get into the box to get on the end of pinpoint crosses from the likes of Borna Barisic and James Tavernier – remember, this is a player who had a goal contribution rate of better than a goal every two games before joining Sheffield United, something that persuaded them to part with over £20m in the first place.

I don’t think he’s good enough to be a regular goal-scorer in the Premier League but he isn’t as bad as people make out, nor is he worth £15m, however, cast you mind back to the summer of 2018 and you’d find few Gers fans opposed to bringing the much maligned striker to Ibrox.