Rangers Opinion: Gers should look to get one over Celtic by winning the race for Greg Taylor
According to Football Scotland, Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers are set to go head-to-head in a transfer tug of war over Kilmarnock’s Scottish international left-back Greg Taylor.
The Scottish Premiership giants are not the only suitors for the 21-year-old highly-rated prospect, with Football Scotland claiming that EFL Championship outfit Hull City are also keen to take the youngster across the border.
Taylor is currently on international duty with Scotland and recently made his senior debut in a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Belgium in the Euro 2020 qualifiers in the absence of Kieran Tierney and Liverpool star Andy Robertson.
The 21-year-old’s stocks are currently on the rise following his debut for Scotland and Kilmarnock will be looking to use that to their advantage this summer, with the likes of Celtic, Rangers and Hull City circling around like sharks to swoop for the youngster.
Greg Taylor made a total of 41 appearances in all competitions for Kilmarnock this past season and was one of the most influential figures over the course of the campaign, as Steve Clarke’s side finished 3rd in the Scottish Premiership, just behind the likes of Celtic and Rangers.
The 21-year-old’s scintillating run of form at Kilmarnock didn’t go unnoticed, and Steven Clarke, who took up the international job for Scotland following his departure from Rugby Park at the end of the recently-concluded season, handed the youngster his international debut.
Taylor also represented Scotland U-20 at the 2017 Toulon Tournament, where he earned rave reviews for his performances and was the only Scottish player to be named in the Team of the Tournament.
Taylor initially started his career in the youth ranks at Rangers but he was released after six years, with the Ibrox giants citing his diminutive frame as the reason behind his dismissal. He joined Kilmarnock in 2014 and quickly rose through the youth ranks before making his first-team debut back in 2016.
Held in high regard at Kilmarnock due to his talent and potential, Taylor established himself as a regular in the first-team in the 2016-17 season. He never looked back since then and made the left-back position at Rugby Park his own, establishing himself as one of the best players to watch out for outside the big two in the division.
Taylor has already racked up a total of 126 appearances for Kilmarnock in all competitions till date, registering a goal and 10 assists, and the achievement of such a feat at the tender age of 21 is indicative of his talent, potential, rapid growth and development as a footballer.
The Scottish prodigy has already made his cut into the senior international side and he definitely deserves a move to either of the top two clubs in the division to move forward in his career.
To put things into perspective, Greg Taylor would potentially be an excellent signing for both Celtic and Rangers. While the Hoops should look at him as a long-term successor to the ageing left-back Emilio Izaguirre and a back-up for Tierney, the 21-year-old would be an excellent signing for Steven Gerrard as well.
However, Rangers should look to get one over their Old Firm rivals by beating the Hoops in the race to sign the emerging starlet, although the prospect of earning a move to England might appeal to the player.
According to a recent from The Scottish Sun, Rangers boss Steven Gerrard is in the market for a new left-back and the Gers have identified Swedish veteran Martin Olsen as a potential target for the summer.
However, one cannot help but feel that someone like Taylor, who already has a wealth of Scottish Premiership experience at 21, would be a better long-term investment for the Gers.
The departure of long-standing left-back Lee Wallace to QPR has rendered Gerrard short of options at left-back, with Croatian international failing to nail down a regular starting role since his move to Ibrox last summer.
Former Liverpool star Jon Flanagan filled in at left-back this past season but he is more of a right-back and Rangers should look to deploy his in his preferred role in order to get the best out of him.
Midfielder Andy Halliday also operated as a make-shift left-back the last term, and while he didn’t do a bad job, Rangers need to find a permanent solution to their left-back conundrum.
Greg Taylor, 21, still has a lot of time to mature and evolve into one of the best in Scotland and he would certainly be a massive coup for Rangers.
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The Gers have already signed the likes of Jordan Jones, Steven Davis, Jake Hastie and Greg Stewart and Taylor would be another fantastic addition to their ranks, as Gerrard looks to put an end to Celtic’s dominance.
