Rangers to miss out on £2m David Goodwillie as Bursaspor  swoop for Steven Whittaker

By Fraser Mackie
Updated: 16:57 EST, 25 June 2011

Rangers look set to miss out on another of their transfer targets as Nottingham Forest and Blackpool last night joined the race for £2million-rated Dundee United striker David Goodwillie.

The Ibrox club have already watched Israeli striker Tomer Hemed and Scotland cap Craig Conway slip through their grasp, while the fee Aston Villa want for Carlos Cuellar remains prohibitive. Now Goodwillie also appears ready to snub Rangers’ advances.

Cardiff City have made their intentions clear to the Tannadice hierarchy about linking up the 22-year-old with former team-mate Conway, who moved to the Welsh capital on a free transfer.

United chairman Stephen Thompson is also expecting to hear from two of their Championship promotion rivals.

Blackpool manager Ian Holloway has long been an admirer of the Scotland international, who struck 19 goals last season, and wants him to spearhead their bid to make a quick return to the Barclays Premier League.

New Forest manager Steve McClaren holds Goodwillie in similar esteem. The financial might of the English game may well be too strong for Goodwillie to resist.

However, the controversial forward, who is preparing to face Drogheda in a friendly for United in Ireland today, has also been told by friends and colleagues that a move to the melting pot of Glasgow would be ill-advised, considering the off-field baggage he already carries.

Goodwillie, charged with rape earlier this year, is due in court this week and expected to be charged with assault after an incident involving team-mates in Glasgow city centre last November.

If he does decide his future lies elsewhere, then it will be another blow to new Rangers manager Ally McCoist, who is a massive fan of the United star’s talents. However, the pain of that snub would be substantially eased if McCoist negotiates a third Ibrox return for Kenny Miller.

The Bursaspor forward has not settled in Turkey since landing a £50,000-a-week deal and would be open to a return home.

His colossal wages are a stumbling block, but if Miller lowered his personal salary sights to the terms he rejected at Rangers last autumn then the Scottish champions could do business.

The Scotland striker remains close to McCoist, who would love to link him with Nikica Jelavicafter Rangers were starved of options last season due to the Croatian’s knee injury and the January departure of Miller.

Meanwhile, in a further twist, Bursaspor last night insisted they will tie up a £1m deal for Steven Whittaker this week. The versatile Scotland star is mulling over a new contract offer at Ibrox and the Turkish side have already had four bids rejected by Rangers.

Bursaspor’s transfer director Erkan Kamat said: ‘We want to bring Whittaker to our training camp as soon as possible. We have agreed a deal in principle with him and we need to reach agreement with Rangers.

‘I will return to the UK on Monday and I expect Whittaker to sign this week.’ Bursaspor also hope to tie up former Celtic loan midfielder Landry N’Guemo.

The Turkish side splashed out £2m last week for former West Brom and England goalkeeper Scott Carson. And they expect to be able to seal the deal for Whittaker in the coming days, too.