A deal has reportedly been agreed to take Martin to Ibrox on loan
18:50, 20 Jun 2025
(Image: AFC Bournemouth via Getty Images)
Rangers have reportedly agreed a deal with Bournemouth to take Max Aarons to Ibrox on loan.
Russell Martin has wasted no time putting together a list of targets to improve his Rangers team right away with Aarons, Conor Coady and Kwame Poku among the early names to emerge.
Tonight it's been reported in Croatia that defender Luka Jelenic is also a target, with centre-back near the top of the priority list amid John Souttar's ongoing injury fears.
But it now appears likely Aarons may be the first signing of the Martin era.
That's because Sky Sports report a deal has been agreed with the Premier League side to take the right-back, capped 27 times for England's U21s, to Ibrox.
It's reported it will be a 'straight loan deal' with no obligation to buy, and there is no mention of a pre-agreed buy option for the 25-year-old.
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He spent last season on loan at Valencia and is on record as being a big fan of Ibrox boss Martin with whom he last crossed paths while both were players at Norwich.
But now it looks as if he's on his way to Glasgow with James Tavernier's position as the starting right-back now seriously under threat.
Rangers have of course already signed Lyall Cameron from Dundee but Aarons will become the first player Martin has directly recruited to the club.
Speaking earlier today the boss stressed the need to get signings in before the Champions League playoff with Panathinaikos gets underway on July 22.
He told club media: “I think the squad will look different. We will have some players in by then as well, so the earlier we can do that, the better, so they become ingrained in what we are trying to build culturally and in terms of performance.
Russell Martin
“The players are back in on Monday. That’s the most exciting bit. We will see what the players can do, how we are going to have to adapt and tweak to make it really built-in and ready for us, and then the rest will take care of itself.”
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