Chris Eagles, to the surprise of very few, has turned his back on the chance to join cash-strapped Rangers.
The Manchester United reject, who is currently at relegated Burnley, visited Ibrox yesterday for a tour of the stadium and talks with the club before returning to training at Burnley this morning.
A frenzy of anticipation had been built up that Rangers would pay their first transfer fee in 23 months when Eagles swooped into Govan yesterday.
Former Rangers chairman Sir David Murray has in the past been successful in luring some of the greatest names in the game to Ibrox but was unable to work his magic on Eagles.
Some sweet talking from the steel tycoon, a look around the state-of-the art facilities at Murray Park and a special tax arrangement used to be enough to sway most transfer targets towards joining Rangers.
A statement from Burnley tonight said: “Burnley winger Chris Eagles has tonight (Thursday)Â decided that a move to Glasgow Rangers is not in his best interests.
“The two clubs had agreed a fee for the 24-year-old, but he was unable to agree personal terms with the Scottish champions.
“Eagles will now join his Clarets team mates on tour in Singapore next week.
“The former Manchester United wide man, who joined Burnley in July, 2008, has 12 months remaining on his current contract.”
Exactly an hour after the Burnley announcement Martin Bain responded on the Rangers website.
He said: “Yesterday, we agreed a fee with Burnley for winger Chris Eagles and he visited Ibrox and Murray Park, but his wage demands were such that they would not be met by the Club.
“It is disappointing we were not able to agree terms with the player, who received a good offer, and we will now look elsewhere.
“I have stated already that we recognise the squad requires fresh faces but the transfer window closes in August and we will take our time to decide on the best way of utilising the resources we have.”
With Kevin Thompson preparing to sign for Middlesbrough, Eagles becomes the latest player to turn down the chance of playing for Rangers in the Champions League for the league known as The Championship.
The financial meltdown at Rangers has still not been grasped by the majority of pundits despite the regular outpourings from Walter Smith.
Kris Boyd, Nacho Novo, Steven Smith and DaMarcus Beasley have all walked out on the champions with half a dozen players entering the final year of their contracts knowing that there is unlikely to be a competitive new deal offered to stay on at the club.
Eagles can expect to be labelled greedy and unambitious but anyone thinking over a move to Rangers is bound to raise questions about why the club’s top scorer of the last four season’s (Boyd) and future captain (Thompson) decided that the grass is greener on foggy Teeside.
When Smith agreed to stay on for another season in charge of Rangers it was reported that he would be getting a £5m warchest to go into the transfer market with.
That sort of money is likely to attract two £500,000 signings on £8,000/week four year contracts- there aren’t many players in last season’s Premiership likely to be interested in those sort of contracts.
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How on earth could he turn down a weekly wagwe of a fish supper and a full bottle of Irn Bru? With that and the win bonus of 2 quid for bus fare to and from his home, unless he lived more than two miles away, he was made. Just how much are Burnley paying this guy?
Why the hell would the this guy turn down the Champs ?? The most succesfull club in Scottish Football history ?? The mighty Rangers. 53 and counting baby.
Hi Aldo
Maybe he wanted to play for a club whose manager isn’t counting down to retirement and one that isn’t a feeder club to Middlesbrough?
The attraction of the Champions League can dim a little if you are getting hammered at home by teams that you hadn’t heard of six months earlier.
This Eagle has laid his nest, that’s for sure.
Well Aldo, maybe he realised that the champs part is abotu to become distant history. Quote “Why the hell would the this guy turn down the Champs ??” You may well ask yourself that one buddy. The answers you may not be so keen on. There is also the feeding his family part that may be important. After all, even eagles eat. I wonder if he got wind of the fact that rangers have the top spot because Celtic were ordered by the SFA and SPL that they had to give the title away incase rangers went under? I am really curious though, what is that 53 and counting? Is this the deficit at the bank in millions? Or does he just know you are doomed????????????????