Rangers have been offered the chance to sign ex-Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley by his agent, according to Football Scotland deputy editor Mark Hendry.
The Lowdown: Chelsea exit
On Monday it was announced the 28-year-old had mutually agreed with Chelsea to leave the club and become a free agent.
The midfielder joined the west London giants in 2018 in a deal worth £15m and went on to make 100 appearances for the Blues.
In recent seasons, Barkley fell down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, which led to a loan move to Aston Villa for the 2020/21 Premier League season.
However, after failing to secure a permanent move elsewhere, the former England international saw very little game time under Thomas Tuchel last season.
The Latest: Hendry’s news
After rumours emerged linking Barkley with a move to the Scottish Premiership, Hendry has now revealed that the player's agent has actually contacted the Gers directly.
Taking to Twitter, the reliable journalist said: “Ross Barkley's name has been put to Rangers as his agent looks to find ex-Chelsea man new club.”
In the adjacent article, Football Scotland report that the 28-year-old’s name has come up in discussions after his agent lodged his player in with the Ibrox recruitment team.
The Verdict: Great signing
Despite not playing much under Tuchel at Chelsea, the Blues boss has been full of praise for the former Everton man when he has been awarded minutes at Stamford Bridge.
After Barkley featured in the last game of the 2021/22 Premier League season, Tuchel claimed: "He behaved so well throughout the season and got a lot of difficult decisions against him, so I'm happy he could show his quality.
"He was excellent in the no.10, very dangerous, involved in every dangerous attack when he came on, so I'm happy when he scored."
Having bagged 46 goals and 41 assists in 320 games, the former Premier League man has a wealth of experience playing at the top level, and there is certainly talent there despite his flailing form.
His arrival at the Ibrox would thus add a senior figure to the Gers’ squad whom the youngsters can learn from, whilst providing Giovanni van Bronckhorst with a naturally gifted goal-threat from midfield.
It could be a great signing for Rangers.