Rangers offload flop forward Filip Sebo for £1m as Lafferty admits Gers interest

 

May 29 2008 Exclusive by Keith Jackson and Anthony Haggerty

 

RANGERS last night took their earnings for the season to £30million - by finalising a deal to flog flop Filip Sebo.

 

The Ibrox club banked a £20m jackpot from their European campaign and raked in £9m from the January sale of Alan Hutton to Spurs.

 

And Sebo's £1m sale to French minnows Valenciennes, which should be confirmed in the next 24 hours, will mean manager Walter Smith has brought home a staggering cash total from his first full season back at the helm.

 

Now it remains to be seen how much of that money Smith will be allowed to spend this summer as he plots for phase three of the latest Ibrox revolution.

 

And last night one of his summer targets, Kyle Lafferty issued a and come-and-get-me plea to the Rangers boss. Smith lodged a bid of around £1.8m with Burnley for the Northern Ireland star - but will drop out of the race if his price continues to rise.

 

Lifelong Rangers fan Lafferty is unhappy under boss Owen Coyle and last night declared he can't wait to get out of Turf Moor.

 

Record Sport revealed on Tuesday the player was back on the radars of the Ibrox club and rivals Celtic, who tried and failed to land him in January.

 

A formal bid from Rangers chief executive Martin Bain landed on Coyle's desk in the past week but was thrown out along with an offer of £3.5m from Wolves.

 

Rangers will not be willing to pay as much for a player who has yet to prove himself at the highest level.

 

Celtic, who had an offer of £2.5m plus striker Derek Riordan turned down, are believed to be watching but have yet to re-affirm their interest.

 

Lafferty signed a four-year deal with Burnley in 2006.

 

The striker has hit five goals in 15 games for his country but bagged only five in 37 Championship games last season.

 

Lafferty said: "I've given my all to Burnley but don't feel wanted. No player is going to stay where he is not happy.

 

"I understand Rangers and Wolves want me and I'd be thrilled to move to either.

 

"Celtic are also interested but I don't think that's ever going to materialise.

 

"I was happy under Steve Cotterill at Burnley but things have changed and I don't feel the same way.

 

"If I had been given the opportunity to leave in the last two transfer windows I would have but those bids were turned down."

 

Lafferty revealed he would love the chance to emulate countryman Steven Davis' exploits at Ibrox.

 

Lafferty said: "It would be a dream to follow in Steven's footsteps but it's an honour to be linked with Celtic also."

 

Meanwhile, Brahim Hemdani, Alan Gow and Thomas Buffel have been told to find new clubs.

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Would it not depend a little on his contract?

 

They may say he's not as good as we thought he was, so we'd like to offload him - but if he's got a 3 year deal (not saying he has, I have no idea), then are they not obliged to pay the man - as long as he turns up, trains etc.

 

All very true and well spotted  Still think his time is up when the club decide its up though

Getting a Gow or a Riordan would be a dream. A dream too far for the current AFC plc board, unfortunately.

All very true and well spotted  Still think his time is up when the club decide its up though

 

Absolutely true, unless the player is so lacking in ambition that he's happy to waste a good proportion of his career rotting away in the stands for relatively big money instead of playing regularly on a lower wage.

 

Another thing I don't get is the school of thought which seems to suggest Gow and Riordan are on a similar level. When Riordan was at Hibs he was being hailed as the greatest thing since sliced bread and you could see why. When Gow was at Falkirk he was thought of as quite a good player by SPL standards but not exactly setting the heather alight. I'd say we've got far more chance of getting Gow than Riordan but wouldn't be particularly confident of getting either.

I don't recall anyone comapring the realtive merits of Gow and Riordan. Neither of them have played enough for a year to make any comparison.

 

On here before though, the same question came up about the possibility of AFC moving for Riordan.

 

The only comparison being they're both stuck at the OF and we could guarantee them a game.

So the Huns have pocketed £30 million this year.....

 

They might be able to buy a goal in the next Euro competition they're in. 

Dundee Utd are trying to sign Gow and Charlie Adam on loan according to the papers this morning.

I see Gow is being offered as part of the deal to sign Lafferty from Burnley.

 

Was it not the Tattie Munchers that were supposedly after Lafferty

Yes they are too.

 

They offered Riordan as part of their deal.

 

I believe Lafferty is a hun though and is reluctant to sign for Celtic.

 

Probably not keen on getting death threats from Northern Ireland fans either.

 

Ah the good old West of Scotland bigotry is alive and well

Lafferty is indeed a Hun and has always said that it's his dream to play for the Filth.

 

Story goes that Huns are offering £3m + Gow in order to get Lafferty. The Tims only offered £2.75m + Riordan.

 

Considering Gow said that he didn't want to come to Aberdeen because it was too far away from home, moving to Burnley seems an odd choice.

 

For a guy who only likes to play with one man up front, Walter Smith doesn't half have a hard-on for signing new strikers.

 

- Darcheville

- Cousin

- Boyd

- Gow

- McCulloch

- Lafferty

- Velicka

- Novo

- Burke

 

All of these can - or do - play up front. What the fuck is Wattie playing at?

Lafferty is fucking pish, I don't understand why the OF are desperate to sign him.

For a guy who only likes to play with one man up front, Walter Smith doesn't half have a hard-on for signing new strikers.

 

- Darcheville

- Cousin

- Boyd

- Gow

- McCulloch

- Lafferty

- Velicka

- Novo

- Burke

 

All of these can - or do - play up front. What the fuck is Wattie playing at?

 

Means they can't play AGAINST the filth....usual spoiling tactics.

and Naismith!

and Naismith!

 

Nae forgetting the boy wonder Fleck

Does he not play up front as well

Burnley striker Kyle Lafferty has agreed personal terms with Rangers, who have struck a cash-plus-player deal with the English Championship club.

 

Along with paying £3m to the Clarets, Rangers have offered midfielder Alan Gow as part of the deal.

 

The former Falkirk player has gone to Turf Moor to discuss the move.

 

Burnley manager Owen Coyle told his club's website: "We've received a very good offer from Rangers, a deal worth close to £4m when you include Gow."

 

Lafferty, 20, would become Rangers' third summer signing.

 

Rangers manager Walter Smith has already bolstered his attacking options after signing Kenny Miller and Andrius Velicka.

 

The Ibrox club tabled a bid for Lafferty two weeks ago, but now have increased that offer and added Gow.

 

 

MY SPORT: DEBATE

What do Rangers fans think of Kyle Lafferty?

 

Coyle said Lafferty had made it clear he wanted to leave Turf Moor.

 

"Ultimately, from the fans' point of view, Kyle wanted to leave the club after saying he felt it was time to move on.

 

"Provided the deal is concluded we wish him well, but ultimately, we want players who are fully committed to Burnley."

 

Burnley said both deals were subject to the players agreeing personal terms with their respective clubs.

 

Last week, Celtic had a bid for £2.75m plus Derek Riordan turned down by Burnley and Wolves were also interested in the Northern Ireland international.

 

Lafferty has been on the books at Turf Moor since 2005, and has scored 10 goals in 56 appearances for Owen Coyle's men.

 

The forward, a lifelong Rangers fan, has already won 16 caps for his country, notching five goals and has said he is keen to further his career elsewhere.

 

Gow, 25, has struggled to establish himself at Ibrox since moving from Falkirk last summer.

 

Looks like Gow is definitely going to burnley, shame as im sure he would have been an asset but i have faith jimmy will have a dutch part time gem lined up 

Looks like Gow is definitely going to burnley, shame as im sure he would have been an asset but i have faith jimmy will have a dutch part time gem lined up 

 

If Rangers are offering him as part of a deal, in which Gow will undoubtedly be paid more than we'd be able to offer, then what could JC have done? 

If Rangers are offering him as part of a deal, in which Gow will undoubtedly be paid more than we'd be able to offer, then what could JC have done? 

 

Absolutely nothing.

 

That's not the point i was making. I have no problem with Gow signing for someone else, my point was about the quality of replacement Calderwood will have in mind

Absolutely nothing.

 

That's not the point i was making. I have no problem with Gow signing for someone else, my point was about the quality of replacement Calderwood will have in mind

 

Who should he sign then?

Absolutely nothing.

 

That's not the point i was making. I have no problem with Gow signing for someone else, my point was about the quality of replacement Calderwood will have in mind

 

You're point was somewhat muddled in with the need to have a go at him.

 

Though quite why it's Calderwood's job to replace Gow I don't know.

Lafferty has been on the books at Turf Moor since 2005, and has scored 10 goals in 56 appearances for Owen Coyle's men.

 

 

He's not exactly prolific - or even a regular.

In the same period,Darren Mackie has appeared for the Dons 91 times and scored 23 goals - Mackie's "strike rate" is significantly better than Lafferty's.

So how is he worth the best part of 4M?

 

 

 

He's not exactly prolific - or even a regular.

In the same period,Darren Mackie has appeared for the Dons 91 times and scored 23 goals - Mackie's "strike rate" is significantly better than Lafferty's.

So how is he worth the best part of 4M?

 

 

 

Compare ages and compare it with Mackie's record at the same age, as well as Mackie's goal per game stats over the course of his career.

 

I don't think the lad worth 4 mill, but some cunt reckons Allan McGregor is worth 6 million, the world is radio rental.

Lafferty is fucking pish, I don't understand why the OF are desperate to sign him.

 

You've answered your own question there. Pish clubs sign pish players.

my point was about the quality of replacement Calderwood will have in mind

 

Replacement for Gow? 

Replacement for Gow? 

 

Aye sorry i didnt word that very well!

 

I meant an alternative target

Aye sorry i didnt word that very well!

 

I meant an alternative target

 

I don't think that Gow was ever a realistic target, let's be honest.  Still not 100% sure if he would've been a success.  There's no doubting the lad's got talent, but he's not proved it enough for me.

 

On another note, hasn't the lad McDonald been brought in for the position in which Gow would've played if we had signed him?

Supposedly Gow doesn't want to go to Burnley (who would?), so he may still be available for us to eventually lose out to Dundee United in the race for his signature.