Barry Ferguson: Rangers Transfer Target’s Move to Ibrox is ‘No Secret’

Kenny McLean has consistently been a name associated with Rangers during numerous transfer windows.

The former St Mirren and Aberdeen midfielder, now a key player in Scotland’s starting lineup after years as a substitute, has often been linked to the club. Despite heavy speculation that he would join Rangers in the recent summer transfer window, McLean chose to remain at Norwich, having been named their Player of the Year for the 2023-24 season.

Kenny McLean’s Love for Rangers

At 32, McLean remains a passionate Rangers fan and has openly expressed his desire to play for the club in the future. His current contract with Norwich runs until 2026, with an option for an additional year, potentially keeping him there until he is 34. While this could make a move more challenging, former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson believes McLean is destined to play for the team he supports.

Speaking on the Go Radio Football Show, Ferguson said:
“He’s learned a lot since his younger days at St Mirren before going to Aberdeen. I think he’s come on leaps and bounds since going down to England.”

When asked if McLean would eventually join Rangers, he added:
“There’s no secret of that. There was a lot of talk in the summer, and I mentioned that it’s an area of the pitch that Rangers need experience. Especially the last two games for Scotland, he stood out.”

McLean’s Thoughts on Joining Rangers

In a 2021 interview with The Athletic, McLean expressed his childhood dream of playing for Rangers, saying:
“I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t something I’d want to do. As a kid, that’s what you want to do, play for your boyhood team. Right now, I’m about to play in the Premier League again, so I’m not thinking about it. But for me and my family, it would be pretty special. I grew up a Rangers fan, used to go to the games with my dad, and as a kid in Glasgow, you support Rangers or Celtic and you want to play for one of them. So, I was on the better side.”

Despite high hopes, McLean did not join Rangers in the summer. Reflecting on the speculation, he told the Norwich Evening News:
“I don’t think that I need to speak too much on it, to be honest, in terms of if it’s true or not. It isn’t affecting me at all. I’m here, I want to be here, and I’ll continue to be here. I’m looking forward to Oxford. I’ve always had a good relationship with the fans, and I’ll continue that for the next couple of years. I hope [the contract] does speak volumes. It was a pretty similar situation last year when there was talk, and I committed my future to the football club. The football club also committed to me. I don’t see why that would change.”

Though his move to Ibrox hasn’t yet happened, McLean’s long-standing desire to play for Rangers ensures that speculation about his future will likely continue.

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