Rangers want to snap up free agent after last-ditch contract snub – report

Rangers are “waiting to snap up” Ben Johnson with the defender set to reject a final contract offer from West Ham, according to TEAMtalk.

The outlet reported via their website on 10 May that the Irons had tabled a “last-ditch” extension to the 24-year-old with his current terms set to expire imminently, but he will snub them in favour of testing his options as a free agent in the upcoming transfer market.

The Light Blues are named as one of the clubs waiting to take advantage of the situation in an attempt to bring him to Ibrox this summer.

While the Englishman will now become available within weeks Rangers are faced with competition from a number of Premier League clubs.

Could Philippe Clement land Irons defender at Rangers?
The versatile Johnson is a sought-after option this summer so it would be a coup for the Gers to bring him to the SPFL, having already turned down a number of previous offers before the Irons’ final attempt.

Teams such as Tottenham and likely Champions League qualifiers Aston Villa are credited with interest [HITC, 15 April] so it might be a transfer race that Philippe Clement only has an outside chance of winning, on financial grounds if nothing else.

All things being equal the versatile West Ham man would appear to be a sensible target given his ability to fill in across the back line and further forward.

Dujon Sterling arrived a year ago on a free transfer from Chelsea and was initially expected to back up James Tavernier at right-back, but in light of the never-ending injury issues at Ibrox he has been required virtually everywhere but his original position and is probably now more of a central midfielder for Rangers than anything.

The captain has been linked to a move away this summer and were he to leave it might allow the club to offer Johnson an immediate starting position, with game time surely a key consideration for a player who has struggled to convince the exit-bound David Moyes to give him regular starts.

But otherwise it seems probable that the Hammers academy product might be looking to remain in the Premier League given he isn’t short of options, despite interest from Ibrox since January.

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