SDM Meets With Hutton

[Muff 245]

Rangers are pressing ahead with plans to sell Alan Hutton to Tottenham Hotspur for £8 million, despite public noises to the contrary from Ibrox, and in spite of the player’s initial reluctance to leave Glasgow for White Hart Lane and the Barclays Premier League.

Sir David Murray met Hutton yesterday morning in Edinburgh and the Rangers chairman is understood to have made it plain to the Scotland defender that the Tottenham offer made good sense for both clubs and the player.

There has been exaggerated talk of what Hutton will be paid in terms of wages by Spurs, though he can still expect to earn almost double what he is currently on at Ibrox - believed to be around £10-12,000 - if the deal goes through. Rangers have asked the 23-year-old to rethink his initial rejection of the move, and the player is now reconsidering his position.

Hutton could be a Tottenham player by the end of this week, with Rangers even ready to offer the player a financial inducement to go as part of the transaction. The Ibrox club are happy for Hutton to leave because they feel that an offer of £8 million – with the possibility of a Tottenham player, maybe Wayne Routledge, being thrown into the deal – is too good to turn down. Moreover, in Steven Whittaker, a natural right back, Rangers also have an able player – and, arguably, a better defender – ready to fill Hutton’s position.

Hutton is now suspended for two matches, starting tonight in Rangers’ rearranged Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash against St Mirren at Love Street.

Asked about the Hutton situation yesterday, Walter Smith, the Rangers manager, was forced to choose his words carefully. “Alan’s initial indication to us was that he has turned [spurs] down, that he wants to stay here,†Smith said. “So that’s where we are right now.

“When you look at clubs at the present moment, there is the financial aspect and the football aspect to consider. Everybody knows the Rangers financial position isn’t what it was a few years ago, but no one at the club wanted to lose Alan. From a football perspective, nobody wanted him to go.

“But when you get offered that type of money, then you are in a situation where, from a financial point of view, it is acceptable. As I say, nobody wants to lose Alan from a football perspective - and I include the chairman in that – but sometimes the financial part can overtake everything. That’s the reason why the offer was acceptable as a bid. In the meantime, though, we are delighted if Alan has decided to stay.â€

Smith, nonetheless, is in an awkward position in terms of the Hutton saga. The Rangers manager would receive quite a hefty chunk of the Tottenham fee for his own recruitment purposes during the January transfer window, with Rangers suddenly being able to spend an extra £3 or £4 million over the next 23 days of business.

By his own admission, Smith wants to improve his squad. “If we can find a player whom we feel is better than those we have at the present moment, then we will endeavour to go for him,†Smith said. “In fact, we’ve already gone for one or two players and been knocked back, so we are interested in improving the team. But I’m not going to sign a player just for the sake of it.

“If we had positions where I felt we were weaker, then obviously I’d take a player to try to help us. But I feel that we have a fairly big squad of players, and if we can’t get anyone of better quality in, then we won’t sign anyone.â€

Meanwhile, Smith said that Stevie Smith, Rangers’ highly regarded left back who has been out of football for a year with a pelvic injury, is now back in full training and ready to return to the team. “He’s had a tough time of it but is doing very well and is now back to full training,†the Rangers manager said. “I certainly hope we can see Stevie back in action by the end of this month.â€

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/foo...icle3149730.ece

Now I know this is written by Britney but this rumour is growing arm's and leg's. This would just be like David Murray.

Moreover, in Steven Whittaker, a natural right back, Rangers also have an able player – and, arguably, a better defender – ready to fill Hutton’s position.

Your joking right?

And you can shove your Spurs reject's up your arse!!

[disgruntled_bear 157]

I told you's this SDM and Walter would rather have the money

[FlippinEck 3,705]

insulting hutton as a player for this club by telling him whittaker is a better player and that he should leave the club when he has clearly stated he wants to stay and win the league (and probably go to a BETTER club at the end of the season). If we never won the league and sold hutton, would we have a claim to get murray out?

I would like the money, but i just feel we should wait until the end of the season

[Bobby 41]

i am begining to worry that what we heard was all talk.

starting to think we are dying to take the money.

if we think we need the dough then im not happy.

if its a case of 'them spurs are mugs, hes no that good, just a purple patch and we can buy better for half the dough', then maybe we will / should sell.

[rfc_no1fan 13]

Knew this would happen

I fully expect Al Hutton to be playing in the premiership very soon

[Muff 245]

If this money is good for Rangers then would we see it going on players?

[rfc_no1fan 13]

If this money is good for Rangers then would we see it going on players?

Not in January we wont

Al Hutton could sign a 3 and half year deal, then come back to Rangers on a bosman at the age of 27

[Muff 245]

Ball's in Hutton's court. He signed a 5 year deal. If he doesn't want to leave then he wont and there is nothing Murray can do about it.

[disgruntled_bear 157]

Expect a friendly next year with Spurs as part of the deal

[FlippinEck 3,705]

If this money is good for Rangers then would we see it going on players?

Not in January we wont

Al Hutton could sign a 3 and half year deal, then come back to Rangers on a bosman at the age of 27

If anything, he will last a season at Tottenham before Manchester United pay double what they paid to take him off their hands

[disgruntled_bear 157]

Ball's in Hutton's court. He signed a 5 year deal. If he doesn't want to leave then he wont and there is nothing Murray can do about it.

You can make it really hard for hutton to say no and if Barry ferguson says something again,expect him to get kicked out the door aswell

[Muff 245]

Either that Eck or Ramos will rotate the defence as it's sh*te and Hutton wont play all the time. F*ck Spurs.

[Muff 245]

Another paper running the same story, also.

The Herald understands that Walter Smith's transfer budget for the January window, of between £3m and £5m, will not be positively affected by Hutton's departure

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,788]

Surely that begs the question that if Walters budget isn't dependant on the sale of Hutton then why are we so desperate to get rid now?

[disgruntled_bear 157]

Surely that begs the question that if Walters budget isn't dependant on the sale of Hutton then why are we so desperate to get rid now?

Maybe a player has come available and we need more than £3million <_<

[Ibroxblue 122]

Another paper running the same story, also.

The Herald understands that Walter Smith's transfer budget for the January window, of between £3m and £5m, will not be positively affected by Hutton's departure

According to the Herald the (alleged) meeting between Murray and Hutton hasn't happened yet.

[Bazza 21]

The mhedia are really milking this one. I still think there is other intrest and that this is maybe more of an atempt to push them on a bit, Man U or Liverpool could still be the club that ends up with him.

[FlippinEck 3,705]

in all honesty, if a £10M bid came in, Id take it and run. We would then get enough cash (given buffel and hemdani get punted aswell - an extra £4Mil if we are lucky) to get in a CB, Striker and midfielder, and if need be, A left back and right back (matt taylor and the greek boy)

[Muff 245]

I doubt he'll end up at Liverpool. They are still trying to tie up Mascherano for £17million and are on the verge of signing Martin Skrtel for £7million. Plus Rafa Beniez future is not all that clear.

[disgruntled_bear 157]

I doubt he'll end up at Liverpool. They are still trying to tie up Mascherano for £17million and are on the verge of signing Martin Skrtel for £7million. Plus Rafa Beniez future is not all that clear.

What if they Threw in Harry Kewell & Andriy Voronin

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,788]

But if we hold out until summer then we will probably get more money for Hutton and this will give us a better chance of adding real quality to the side as players are avaialble for better prices then.

January's a horrid time to sign players as clubs are normally desperate to hold onto their assets and as a result their prioces are even more inflated.

Unfortunaetly we seem to be desperate to get rid of our main asset and accepted the first bid that came in

[ricksen_da_best 2,034]

if we cant afford to keep our best player at the club for 8million then we are no longer a top european side in the eyes of everyone!!

[Muff 245]

F*ck Kewell and Voronin. Kewell is far too injury prone and on ridiculous wages. Voronin is a clown, I dont know any Liverpool fan's who rate him.

January is a stupid time to sell your best players, especially when you are challenging for the domestic treble. Wait until the summer, when more clubs are interested, when we've picked up our trophies then do a deal and make more money on him.

I can just imagine him going to Spurs for £9million, doing well and SAF forking out £15million+ on him.

[adamcs 1]

Smith says in the Daily Record he doesn't expect to lose anybody this month. It says Hutton didn't train yesterday, but it had nothing to do with a transfer. He was "given a couple of days off" because he's suspended tomorrow..

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,788]

Smith says in the Daily Record he doesn't expect to lose anybody this month. It says Hutton didn't train yesterday, but it had nothing to do with a transfer. He was "given a couple of days off" because he's suspended tomorrow..

Too much of a coincidence methinks.