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da aviator aposta： This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
Rangers are set to miss out on Alan Hutton, as Championship side Middlesbrough open talks with the 34-year-old, according to Football Insider.
What’s the story?
Jonathan Woodgate’s side are in pole position to sign the former Aston Villa full-back, pipping the Gers to his signature, according to the report.
The veteran is a free agent having been released by Villa as they were promoted to the Premier League this summer, and has attracted the interest of various Championship sides since, per an earlier Football Insider report.
The potential deal to take the Scotland international to the Riverside will be a blow for Steven Gerrard’s men, who had been interested in bringing him back to Ibrox earlier in the summer.
Hutton started his career at the Light Blues before signing for Spurs in 2008, and his availability on a free transfer and versatility had attracted Gerrard to his signature.
Dodged a bullet
The interest in Hutton didn’t make too much sense and Gerrard, while disappointed as it looks like he won’t land one of his targets, should feel glad to be missing out on the veteran this summer.
In James Tavernier, you have one of, if not the first name on the team sheet as club captain and a consistent producer of goals from right-back. The defender contributed to 37 goals last season and is the club’s unquestioned first-choice for the right-side of defence, so Hutton would be looking at a support role.
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Down the pecking order, Jon Flanagan is an able deputy to Tavernier on the right, as well as being capable of covering for Borna Barisic and Andy Halliday on the left. Eight years younger than Hutton, he should also be able to feature more than the ageing free-agent too.
To top it off, the 34-year-old would likely command a decent wage for someone who would be no more than squad depth, having made a reported £30k-a-week while at Villa.
Gerrard can count this as a blessing if Boro pips him to the services of the ex-Ger, as shelling out wages to an ageing player in a position with good quality and depth simply makes no sense.
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