Source: Team_Talk
Reds land Gers star Wilson for £5m
Scottish Premier League giants Rangers have agreed to sell 18-year-old defender Danny Wilson to Liverpool in a deal worth up to £5million.[LNB] Liverpool have been tracking Wilson for several months and are now set to complete the transfer after the teenager was pulled out of the Rangers squad that set off on a pre-season tour of Australia this evening.[LNB]Rangers chief executive Martin Bain told the club's official website: "We have agreed a deal in principle with Liverpool for the transfer of Danny Wilson.[LNB]"Liverpool's offer will see the club receive £2million up front with add-ons linked to games played, taking the total value of the deal to £5million."[LNB]Rangers had anticipated Wilson's departure towards the end of last season after the centre-back refused a new contract offer.[LNB]Liverpool's interest initially failed to materialise as Rafael Benitez left the club but new manager Roy Hodgson has approved the deal and Wilson could join Joe Cole and his new team-mates at their Swiss training camp.[LNB]Bain, who last week oversaw the £2million sale of midfielder Kevin Thomson to Middlesbrough, added: "Danny was entering the final year of his contract with the club and had indicated that he felt it was in his interests to move on.[LNB]"Given that and the value of the offer from Liverpool, it was deemed appropriate to accept that offer given the player wanted to go.[LNB]"We are aware that with Kevin Thomson and Danny leaving the club in the last week that there is a need to add to the first team squad.[LNB]"Our efforts remain focused on doing that during this transfer window.[LNB]"We have been active in that regard with the resources that we have and we do recognise that we have to add to a squad that is light in numbers."[LNB]Wilson made his debut in October 2009 and went on to make 25 appearances, which included Champions League action.[LNB]The Scotland Under-19 international won both the PFA Scotland and Scottish Football Writers' young player of the year awards.[LNB]Wilson is the seventh first-team player to leave Ibrox this summer after Stevie Smith, DaMarcus Beasley, Nacho Novo, Kris Boyd and Thomson.[LNB]However, central defence is an area of relative strength for Rangers manager Walter Smith with Andy Webster returning from a season-long loan spell at Dundee United to join Davie Weir and Madjid Bougherra.[LNB]Algeria defender Bougherra, who suffered an injury-hit campaign last season, joined up with his team-mates at Glasgow Airport this afternoon after returning from World Cup duty.[LNB]Smith has not bought a player for almost two years amid financial problems at the club, although Rangers did have a substantial offer accepted for Burnley winger Chris Eagles last week, only for the player to reject a move.[LNB]Smith yesterday admitted he feared injuries and suspensions could make next season a struggle and the inexperienced nature of his first-team squad was evident today when youngsters Grant Adam, Andrew Shinnie, Jamie Ness and Gregg Wylde were among the party.[LNB]Rangers, who left full-back Sasa Papac behind for treatment on a minor knee injury, face Blackburn, Sydney and AEK Athens on their tour.
