Reece Burke
Steven Gerrard hasn’t wasted time in pursuing his desired transfer targets since becoming the Rangers manager. Scott Arfield and Allan McGregor, both players with a decent amount of English Premier League experience, have joined the Gers.
But to truly succeed, the former Liverpool skipper must bring in more players. In recent times, Rangers have been linked with a move for Reece Burke, West Ham’s young English defender. He has mustered 15 appearances for his club to date. Having mostly appeared in cup matches, Burke is yet to establish himself in the first-team picture.
Manuel Pellegrini has taken over as the new West Ham manager, meaning Gerrard’s chances rest with the Chilean’s approval of Burke.
The youngster is known to be highly-rated by the club and the player also enjoyed an impressive loan spell with Bolton last season, helping them stay afloat in the Championship.
In fact, his time at Macron Stadium capped three successive loan years away from his parent club. At 21 years of age, the time is right for Burke to make a permanent exit in search of regular first-team opportunities.
Considering the situation at Rangers, Gerrard will be eager to bolster his defensive options. Young centre-back David Bates recently departed for Hamburg while the ageing Russell Martin has failed to impress since joining from Norwich in January.
Burke’s versatility will prove to be attractive as well, considering he can play as a central defender and at right-back. However, given his talent, Gerrard might face competition for his signature.
If West Ham decide to sell Burke, Gerrard must do everything to bring him to Ibrox. Given his relative inexperience, Burke will be within the Gers’ price range, and the move could be beneficial for the player too. He will be able to play regularly in a starting position and life in the Scottish Premiership will certainly help him develop and progress further.
