Rangers look set to miss out on another Scottish talent with the Scotland international set to move to the English second tier.
Max Johnston, son of former Rangers man Allan, looks set to join EFL Championship side Derby County for a fee of around £2m from Austrian side Sturm Graz, meeting the Bundesliga side’s valuation of the right back.
A product of the Motherwell academy, Johnston debuted for the Steelmen in early 2021 at just 17-years-old and immediately impressed, becoming a regular in 2022/23 after loan spells with Queen of the South and Cove Rangers.
He made 21 appearances, scoring 3 goals, all in that final season before moving to Austria for a rumoured £350k.
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A move Rangers should have made then, is one they surely should have been all over now. At just £2m and only 21, he is set to become a future Scotland international at right back.
With Russell Martin and the new transfer hierarchy at Ibrox opting for Max Aarons on loan, rather than a permanent, home-grown talent, their no longer looks to be space for Johnston with both James Tavernier and the injured Dujon Sterling both at the club as right back options.
But with Sterlings aforementioned injury issues, Tavernier’s decline with age and Aarons’ less than impressive start at Ibrox, this looks like another one that should have happened but the club have let it slip away in favour of an option from down south.
Will it be one tinged with regret, time will tell but it looks on paper to be a transfer no brainer not acted upon.