Signing Charlie Adam now would be a futile move for Rangers

Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam has refused to rule out a return to former club Rangers in the January transfer window. (h/t talkSPORT)

The 32-year-old has struggled for game time with the Potters under new manager Gary Rowett this season and has grown frustrated over his situation at the bet365 Stadium. Speaking about his immediate future at the club, the midfielder said (h/t talkSPORT):

“Someone asked me at the weekend if I’d be interested in going back to Scotland to play and I need to play. I’ve not played this season, I’ve played three [league] games, so I need to play. I’ve spoken to the [Stoke] manager and we’ll see what happens when the window opens. If there are options there, we’ll sit down and look at them, if there’s not then I’ll stay at Stoke and try to get an opportunity to play.”

The midfielder came through the youth ranks at Dundee FC but moved to Rangers in 2003 at the age of 17. He then had loan spells away at Ross County and St. Mirren before becoming a regular for the Light Blues’ first-team. Adam went on to make 76 appearances for the Glasgow outfit, scoring 15 goals and setting up 10 more, winning a Scottish Premiership title in the process (2008/09). Shortly after, he left the club for Blackpool in 2009.

Adam had a brief spell at Liverpool as well before ending up at Stoke City in 2012. The former Scotland international has been a mainstay in the middle of the park for the Potters for years now and has racked up 169 appearances, scoring 22 times and assisting 17 more.

However, game time has been hard to come by for him this term, with the likes of Oghenekaro Peter Etebo, Joe Allen and Ryan Woods ahead of him in the pecking order. With Adam hinting that he is open to the possibility of returning to Rangers in January, should the Gers bring back their former player?

Rangers have made a solid start to life under new manager Steven Gerrard. They stand a good chance of making it into the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League as well. The Gers brought in as many as 15 players in the summer but with the winter window fast approaching, should Gerrard consider the possibility of reuniting with his former Liverpool teammate Adam?

That would be a hard no for me. Rangers are well-loaded in terms options in the middle of the park. While Graham Dorrans has spent the majority of the season on the treatment table, the Gers have plenty of depth with the likes of Ryan Jack, Andy Halliday, Ross McCrorie to go with the summer additions Scott Arfield, Lassana Coulibaly (on loan), Ovie Ejaria (on loan) – all of whom have made meaningful contributions so far in the ongoing campaign.

There is another former Liverpool player in 21-year-old Jordan Rossiter, who is working his way back into the team after a spate of injuries. And bringing in another central midfielder would push the talented youngster further down the pecking order at the Ibrox Stadium.

Read More: Two players Rangers should offload in January – including this 21-year-old summer arrival

Adam has a history with Rangers and has plenty of experience at the highest level, having spent a large part of his career in the Premier League. However, the central midfield position is something that Rangers don’t need to strengthen at the moment and the 32-year-old’s signing would be totally redundant.