Rangers in hunt to sign Bobby Thomas as Burnley transfer news emerges

Rangers are in the hunt to sign Burnley centre-back Bobby Thomas, according to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon.

Writing via his Patreon account on Sunday (9 July), Nixon reported that QPR and Cardiff are interested in signing the 22-year-old defender, who spent last season on loan at both Bristol Rovers and Barnsley in England’s League One.

It is understood that Michael Beale is also showing an interest in Thomas. However, it’s unclear whether the Gers also want to sign him on loan or whether they’re in the market for a permanent deal.

Depth

If Rangers are signing Thomas, surely they’re going to want him just to add some depth to the squad and not to play as a first-team regular.

It’s nothing against Thomas at all but last season he was playing in League One in England.

If he joins Rangers, he could be playing in the Champions League group stages.

It’s a huge leap up for a player who’s never played at a level above the third tier of English football.

He did do well at Barnsley last season, however.

Thomas played a big role in the Tykes reaching the play-off final at Wembley as he played 90 minutes of every game from 21 January and the end of the League One season, scoring four goals in those games.

The in-demand Burnley man then helped the Yorkshire side beat Bolton in the play-off finals before an “excellent” performance in the extra-time defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.

We’d take him as some extra depth and on a permanent deal but a loan would make no sense and he better not be seen as an addition to the starting line-up.