Ibrox chiefs are pushing to sign the England star from Rangers

Glasgow Rangers have already entered the Scottish Premiership market to strengthen their squad this summer by signing Lawrence Shankland.

The Scotland international joined Hearts on a permanent deal last month after scoring 16 league goals this season, and has scored three goals in two appearances for his country since making the move to Ibrox.

Shankland may not be the only player to join their Premiership rivals before the end of the summer transfer window, as the Gers have also been linked with Motherwell star Elliot Watt.

Celtic have also been linked with an interest in the 26-year-old midfielder, who is said to cost the Scottish club £3m before the window opens later this month.

It now remains to be seen whether the Light Blues are prepared to shell out a few million to bring the Scotland star to Ibrox in the coming weeks.

Rangers are pushing to sign a new midfielder

Watt scored six goals and provided three assists in 34 Premiership appearances for Motherwell during the 2025/26 campaign and will arrive in Glasgow as a proven player at this stage.

The Light Blues, however, are now linked with a search for a player who will be Danny Rohl’s version of Watt, without costing millions of pounds.

According to former Premier League legend Mick Brown, Glasgow Rangers officials want to secure a deal to sign Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil in the summer transfer window.

The England star is out of contract at the end of this month and the Gers are hoping to land him on a free transfer to strengthen their options in the middle of the park.

Speaking to Football Insider, Brown said:“He (Neil) will like to go up there to prove himself, show his personality and hopefully he will be part of a team that can change their fortunes.

“It won’t be easy, but it will be attractive, so if Rangers push to sign him as I’ve heard, it’s a deal I can see going over the line.”

How Dan Neil could be the Ranger version of Elliot Watt

If the Light Blues can get a deal to sign Neil on a free transfer, as Brown suggests they are pushing to do, they may not need to spend £3m on Watt.

The Sunderland star, who spent the second half of the season on loan at Ipswich Town, is used to playing for top clubs after winning promotion to the Championship in 2024/25 and 2025/26.

Like Watt, the 24-year-old star is a metronomic midfielder who likes to get on the ball and dictate how the game is played, moving the ball forward to line up and creating direct chances for his teammates.

Neil’s 2025/26 campaign was disrupted as he struggled for Premier League minutes in the first half of the season, but his stats as a regular starter in the Championship for the Black Cats last term suggest he is a Watt-like player.

Both central midfielders are duel winners who tackle challenges and make many tackles to help their teams out defensively, while providing quality on the ball with their passing ability.

Neil’s performance against Oxford United for the Black Cats at the Stadium of Light in the 2024/25 season is a good example of how he can be like Watt to Rohl.

The England international, who was described as a “perfect” player for the German manager by journalist Josh Bunting, completed 70 of 75 passes, collected ten tackles and provided an assist in the 2-0 win over Oxford.

Neil is a complete midfielder who can provide quality between and off the ball in the middle of the park, just like Watt did at Motherwell, and that was on display during his loan spell with Ipswich this season.

The Gers goalkeeper won 54% of his ground duels and 64% of his aerial matches in 16 games in the Championship for the Tractor Boys as they secured promotion to the Premier League.

Now, the Rangers have a chance to sign him in free agency at the end of the month, and they could get Rohl their version of Watt in doing so.