A week after his highly publicised visit to Ibrox Joey Barton has congratulated Alan Stubbs on winning the Scottish Cup!
The 33-year-old midfielder is Mark Warburton’s top transfer target but after toasting Hibs’ success over the Ibrox club that move looks dead in the water.
Barton tweeted: “Alan Stubbs has done a great job at Hibernian. Good to see. Proper football man. #Evertonian.”
Speaking earlier this week about his interest in the midfielder Warbo said: “He’s a very talented player in the Championship Team of the Year. I am sure he will have many suitors.
“Our job is to highlight what Rangers represent in terms of an opportunity. We can’t get near the salaries being paid down south, what we have to offer is an opportunity.
Alan Stubbs has done a great job at Hibernian. Good to see. Proper football man. #Evertonian ????????
— Joseph Barton (@Joey7Barton) May 21, 2016
“The only baggage I’m looking at is that he is in the Championship Team of the Year and the team that just won that division. That’s the only baggage I’m looking at.
“He’s an outstanding player who’s had an outstanding season. He is experienced, combative and very intellectual about football. When you speak to him, he is a very knowledgeable guy.
“Everyone has history. Everyone. How many years do you go back? The fact is that in the most recent season he was outstanding. And quite rightly named in that team of the year.
“That was our focus. We have looked at his fitness, looked at his impact on games and how that might benefit us. And also how we might benefit him.
“He is a very talented player, isn’t he? Forget some of the baggage you refer to, he is a very talented player. No doubt about that. A top Premier League player.”
It now seems certain that the top Premier League player with baggage won’t be continuing his career at Ibrox.
