Beale urged to swoop for former Ibrox wonderkid

Kris Boyd has urged Micky Beale to make John Fleck a priority signing.

With cash tight after paying off the previous management team Beale will have to rake through the bargain bucket to refresh his side this month.

Hailed as the Scottish Wayne Rooney when he broke through at the original Rangers in 2009 Fleck was soon eased out of the picture by Ally McCoist then walked away in 2012 for the bright lights of Coventry City.

Free from the hype and expectations of Ibrox Fleck has made a decent career for himself but has only started nine Championship matches this season.

With his contract expiring in the summer Sheffield United will be happy to lose a significant wage this month prompting an emotional ‘return’ to Ibrox.

Listening to Boyd on Sky Sports, Football Scotland reports the former Kilmarnock ace saying:

I think Michael Beale has spoken about it that the central midfield area is one he wants to strengthen. He’s lost Stevie Davis and it’s not ideal but I wouldn’t be rushing in and just grabbing players for the sake of it, especially in January.

Moving forward it’s important Rangers do their recruitment properly. The two windows are huge. If there are deals to be done then Michael Beale will want to get them done in January but I think the summer is the most important because there is a massive overhaul of the squad needed.

There’s players out of contract and I think the obvious one for me would be John Fleck at Sheffield United. Michael Beale has spoken about it like I’ve said before and I think John has been at Rangers before and knows and has been brought up on it. He is a different player from the one that left Rangers but people like that would be on my radar.

With Ryan Jack and Scott Arfield not being offered new contracts Fleck could fit into a new look midfield with his former Sheffield United team-mate John Lundstram.