RATHER embarrassing for the Daily Record this morning as a freelance football writer appeared to blow their credibility out of the water of their succulent story that Rangers are in hot pursuit of the £2million Croatian defender Nikola Katic. The defender current club is Slaven Belupo but he has apparently attracting interest from Steven Gerrard and also Spartak Moscow with the Record suggesting that ‘Gers set to Nik £2m Croat.’
A big money signing imminent then? No actually, according to a freelancer who has actually spoken to the player’s club (unlikely the Record apparently), the deal is regarded as being DEAD. Just like the old Rangers…
Richard Wilson, a writer on Scottish, Croatian and Slovenian football – see @timomouse – rubbishes the red top story, stating that The Record, despite their headline and story have not spoken to the player’s club, but he has.
“I’ve been told directly that Rangers enquiries about the player and followed up with a bid under £500k which was rejected and the £2m quoted at them. They have not been back in touch since last week and the deal is considered dead.”
That’s all rather embarrassing. Judge for yourselves…it could all just be a big mistake and the £2m will be deposited any day now in a Croatian bank just as soon as an account can be opened. Update: The player signed for Rangers later in the day!
This is today’s Daily Record back page.
They haven’t spoken to Slaven.
I have. pic.twitter.com/nIobXfBot2
— Richard Wilson (@timomouse) June 12, 2018
I’ve been told directly that Rangers enquiries about the player and followed up with a bid under £500k which was rejected and the £2m quoted at them. They have not been back in touch since last week and the deal is considered dead.
— Richard Wilson (@timomouse) June 12, 2018
So Gers are very much not set to Nik £2m Croat unless they get real with their valuation of the player.
— Richard Wilson (@timomouse) June 12, 2018
Meanwhile the latest podcast from the Football Blogging Awards Podcast of the Year for 2018 – The Celtic Star Podcast is out now. Paul John Dykes is joined by Jackie’s best mate, a player who won every domestic honour for Celtic in the 1990s – Simon Donnelly.
Simon discusses the season when Wim Jansen’s side stopped the ten; his friendship with Jackie McNamara; the brilliance of Paolo, Pierre and Henrik; his regret at not winning the league for Tommy Burns; and the meteoric rise of Andrew Robertson.
