David Weir interview, P4, 5
Miller was in talks with Cardiff City last night and is expected to undergo a medical today after the Welsh club agreed a fee with Bursaspor while the Turks accused Rangers of making a “ridiculously low” offer for the 31-year-old Scotland forward.
Rangers offered £350,000 to bring back the player they sold only six months ago, but Bursa wanted more than double that and agreed a near £900,000 fee with Cardiff.
Rangers have made unsuccessful efforts to land Tomer Hemed, Neil Danns, Lee Wallace, Raul Rodriguez, Mile Jedinak, David Goodwillie, Kamil Glik and Miller during the close season, while Carlos Cuellar and Kyle Bartley have yet to return to the club either on loan or as permanent signings. Rangers also spoke to Craig Conway although they did not make an offer before he joined Cardiff.
The club’s serial failures in the market has led to growing frustration and unease among the support over the lack of successful activity in the transfer market, but no improved bid will be made for Miller, despite the withering response from Bursa to the original offer yesterday.
There were more encouraging signs regarding their pursuit of USA international Alejandro Bedoya, at least. His Swedish club, Orebro, rejected Rangers’ only bid so far but the midfielder is out of contract in November and is keen on moving to Ibrox. A pre-contract agreement could be signed soon. Rangers are also in talks with Anderlecht about the Hungarian international defender Roland Juhasz, who could cost £1.5m.
A deal with Bursa for Miller was beyond them, though. Miller had submitted a transfer request which the Turkish club accepted, but they wanted a profit on the player they signed in January and Cardiff’s offer blew the Rangers’ one out of the water.
Erkan Kamat, Bursa’s director of transfers, said: “The policy of Rangers is not good. I don’t like it. It is a ridiculously low offer.
“As far as we are concerned, Kenny Miller has been sold to Cardiff City. He is going to be their player and he is not going to Rangers. We are in a very bad position now. We have a Europa League match next week, Kenny is going and we need another striker.”
Meanwhile, Bedoya said he had not spoken to Rangers or any other club about a pre-contract agreement but he would like to come to the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. “Of course, a move to Rangers would interest me,” said the player. “It is a big club. It would maybe be easier for me if something happened this summer in terms of integrating. But it’s just a waiting game for me now, really. It would be nice if something happened.”
Instead they will offer Bedoya a pre-contract and hope to land the versatile midfielder when his deal expires at the end of the year.” Patrick Mork, his agent, said Rangers would quickly reap the benefits if they completed a deal. “Alejandro Bedoya plays with lots of guts and character. When you see him play you think ‘British football’,” he said.
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