James Beattie hijack bid foiled: Rangers set to land Stoke striker despite Blackburn's best efforts

13 August 2010 00:11
Stoke City last night kicked out a last-gasp Blackburn bid to hijack James Beattie's move to Rangers.[LNB]A former Ewood Park striker, the 32-year-old is set to seal a £1.5million switch to Ibrox today becoming the club's first new signing in two years. Rangers will get their man despite Sam Allardyce making a late attempt to take the unhappy Stoke star back to his first professional club.[LNB]Unwilling to sell Beattie to another Premiership club, Stoke boss Tony Pullis kicked the late intervention into touch. It leaves the way clear for Walter Smith to complete his second deal of the day. [LNB] Home James: Beattie at Ibrox yesterday as he moved closer to sealing his move north[LNB]Earlier, Scotland star Lee McCulloch handed Smith and the club aboost when he ended doubts over his future by committing to a newtwo-year contract. [LNB]Beattie talks continued last night after he underwent a Murray Park medical and held talks over personal terms, with agent Mike Morris telling Sportsmail: 'Negotiations are ongoing and will continue.'[LNB]Beattie is expected to be the first of a raft of new arrivals atIbrox, with Portsmouth still considering an offer for utility man TommySmith tendered last Monday.[LNB]Denying that a twin capture might end his interest in Rapid Vienna'sCroatia international Nikica Jelavic, manager Smith also refused torule out further transfer activity at the cash-strapped club.[LNB]'We are in negotiations with both Stoke and Portsmouth with regard to the signing of James and Tommy.[LNB]'Just where we are at present is always difficult to say, but, hopefully, we can manage to conclude both deals.[LNB]'We're still looking and will continue to look until the end of the transfer window to try to bring another one or two.'[LNB]While the outlook on Jelavic looks increasingly uncertain, theplayer himself believes a deal can still be done after scoring forCroatia in a midweek draw with Slovakia.[LNB]'I am still a Rapid player,' said Jelavic, 'but Rangers do not give up. All could be known in several days.'[LNB]As well as chasing those three strikers, Smith is also running hiseye over the 20-year-old Arsenal winger Nacer Barazite and Hondurasforward Georgie Welcome.[LNB]Reacting to rumours that Welcome had returned home, the Rangers bosssaid: 'He is still here. It's unfortunate we have not been able to geta game for him.[LNB]'We had a game in Northern Ireland, but we have not been able to play him in any public game. [LNB]'We'll have a closed-doors game next week and that will give him an opportunity to show what he can do.[LNB]'It's always difficult for anyone to show in a training session how he is going to go.' [LNB]Smith hopes to have Beattie in his team to face Kilmarnock tomorrow,but remains relaxed over the prospect of relying on players who havecaptured two consecutive titles.[LNB]'If you look at our squad, we probably have 14 relatively experienced players,' he said.[LNB]'We don't have a big squad and we have to enlarge that. But I don'tthink there is any doubt that the fact we haven't signed a player for acouple of years has brought a good bond to the players we have.[LNB]'So it has been a benefit to us in terms of overall team spirit.'[LNB]One of those experienced stars, 32-year-old McCulloch, is now likelyto end his career at Ibrox after agreeing to a two-year contractextension.[LNB]Signed by Smith from Wigan in July 2007, the ex-Motherwell strikerestablished himself as a key player in a holding midfield role lastseason, making 44 starts.[LNB]McCulloch told the Rangers website: 'I know the club is trying tosecure players who are going to be out of contract next year and thereare efforts being made to bring in new faces, too.[LNB]'I want to be a part of things and now I'm really looking forward to the season ahead. It was a no brainer to sign.[LNB]'(Chief executive) Martin Bain and the gaffer asked me what I wantedto do and I told them I wanted to stay. It was nothing to do with money I just wanted to be here trying to win trophies.[LNB]'Everything was done and dusted in a matter of minutes. I didn't have to think about it. I was delighted to stay.'[LNB]McCulloch missed this week's Scotland defeat to Sweden in Stockholmafter being hospitalised with a viral chest infection, but is now backat home and looking to make Smith's starting line-up after he serves atwo-match suspension.[LNB] Beattie and Smith in Rangers talks as Ibrox men look to add firepowerGoalkeeper Allan McGregor set for first Scotland cap since infamous 'Boozegate' scandal[LNB] [LNB]  

Source: Daily_Mail