'Very good business' - Rangers urged to steal march on Celtic to land transfer target

Rangers have been urged to battle Celtic for the signing of Benjamin Siegrist.

The Swiss goalkeeper is a free agent after leaving Dundee United following an impressive four-year spell at Tannadice.

Siegrist, across the past two seasons in the Premiership, proved himself to be one of the better goalkeepers in the country.

He had been linked with both Celtic and Rangers while under contract with United. Now available on a free, he is a target for the Scottish champions with Vasilis Barkas having left.

Ange Postecoglou is keen for him to challenge Scott Bain and Joe Hart.

Former Rangers and Celtic star Kenny Miller reckons the Ibrox side should be competing with their rivals for Siegrist’s signature with the uncertainty over the future of Allan McGregor who has not agreed a new deal.

"I think it's a good option on a free transfer,” he told Clyde1 Superscorebaord.

"I think it was mooted last summer that they (Celtic) were going to go for Siegrist as a potential number one, and obviously they went and got Joe Hart.

Benjamin Siegrist is wanted by Celtic. (Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group)

"He has been an outstanding performer in the league for a few seasons now.

"On a free transfer it would be very good business, and we don't know what's going on with McGregor. Rangers or a Celtic should be looking at him on a free transfer. Absolutely."

Miller has suggested that Siegirst joining Celtic could be a case of succession planning beyond Joe Hart.

'It might be a case that he works with a keeper of his (Joe Hart’s) quality for a season,” he said.

"The one thing when you come to a Rangers or a Celtic from a smaller club in Scotland, a Hearts, a Hibs or a Dundee United, you need to move again.

"You need to move and show you are better than the guys that are already there.

"Unfortunately for a goalkeeper there is only one spot. Maybe Celtic are looking at it in terms of a succession plan and they are thinking 'maybe Joe will go at the end of the season'.

"They will want someone in the building, who is capable, and Benjamin Siegrist ticks those boxes."