Kenny McLean to Rangers: Why move from Norwich appears unlikely at this stage

Mid-November is not too early, it seems, for transfer stories to rear their heads more than a month before the winter window reopens.
Kenny McLean has been spot-on for Scotland recently.Kenny McLean has been spot-on for Scotland recently.
Kenny McLean has been spot-on for Scotland recently.

The “headline” story this Sunday was a report suggesting that Rangers are keen on signing Norwich City and Scotland penalty hero Kenny McLean.

The 28-year-old is a popular player among his Carrow Road team-mates and Canaries supporters. He was part of the squad that won promotion to the English Premier League in 2019 and is famed for his celebrations in the aftermath, earning him in the nickname “the mayor of Norwich”.

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McLean is contracted to Norwich until the summer of 2023 and is still a big part of manager Daniel Farke’s plans, as proven by playing 90 minutes for Norwich in their 1-0 win over Swansea last weekend. Naturally, he will want to stay in the first team – especially with Scotland now at the Euros.

The former St Mirren and Aberdeen man has played a prominent role in a competitive Scots engine room, scoring key penalties in shoot-outs.

While Rangers manager Steven Gerrard will undoubtedly be aware of McLean’s capabilities, it is not as if Rangers aren’t well stocked in midfield. Glen Kamara, Joe Aribo, Steven Davis, Ryan Jack, Bongani Zungu, Scott Arfield and Ianis Hagi are all competing for limited places. Furthermore, Gerrard has not made a move for free agent Jack Wilshere despite the England internationalist being linked for the best part of a month.

McLean would not come cheap either, with a chunky fee and a substantial wage required.

Unless one of the aforementioned players departs soon, any talk of McLean and Ibrox together appears speculative at best.

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