Why this 20-year-old Swansea starlet could be an apt signing for Gerrard’s Rangers

Why Swansea starlet Oli McBurnie could be a good singing for Rangers

New Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has already started strengthening his squad by making as many as six new signings. The Liverpool legend has already turned to Anfield for assistance by roping in Ovie Ejaria on a season-long loan deal from the Reds.

The presence of the former Kop favourite and his intrinsic ties with the club, made it a deal that was not laden down with road bumps.

The 20-year-old spent half of last season on loan at Sunderland, and the midfielder will be a welcome addition at Ibrox. And it is believed that Gerrard could look to Liverpool again for transfers as the likes of Ben Woodburn, Ryan Kent and Dominic Solanke have been linked with a move north of the border.

But the tactic of drawing on Liverpool’s resources can realistically only yield so much. There are still other deals that the new Rangers manager could consider as he looks to put pressure on Celtic.

One such option could well be Oliver McBurnie. The Swansea City striker has spent a large chunk of his time in Wales away from the club. He has had loan spells at Newport County, Bristol Rovers and most recently Barnsley.

It was his time at Oakwell that brought him into the public consciousness on a larger scale than he had previously been. Having made the loan switch in January, he made an immediate impact. In his debut against Sheffield Wednesday, he scored in a 1-1 draw.

His fine form continued as he scored five more goals in his next seven matches and won the Championship Player of the Month award in February.

His impressive displays for Barnsley earned him an international call-up as new Scotland manager Alex McLeish named him in his squad. McBurnie made his senior international debut in a 1-0 victory of Costa Rica in March. The striker has played in three other friendly games since and it seems he is becoming a regular player for Scotland.

If Gerrard wishes to sign McBurnie, he needs to act fast. The 22-year-old is a fine finisher and is dominant in the air too. He would be a good fit at Rangers but he is a player on the up, and Gerrard will need to make a move to Ibrox as attractive as possible if he is to secure the services of McBurnie.