Russell Martin remains quiet about Jamie Vardy link to Rangers

Leader Live

8 hours ago

The 38-year-old forward, who saw a move to Genoa fall through, has now been heavily touted for a switch to Ibrox after leaving the Foxes at the end of last season.
Recently-appointed Gers boss Martin remained coy but refused to dismiss the prospect, when asked after his side's 2-2 pre-season friendly draw at home to Club Brugge on Sunday if Vardy was a target.
'I think I've been asked about so many players,' he said. 'Some miles away, some on the money. So basically, I'm not going to give you an answer on that.But I guess you'll find out who's real and who's not in the next few weeks.'
Rangers have already added five new players this summer and Martin, who has also been linked with defenders Conor Coady and Nasser Djiga, said he expects 'the squad to look different in a week's time'.
'I think we definitely want to do more, for sure,' he said. 'And also probably some players need to move on as well at some point because the squad's going to start looking very big and very heavy.'
Rangers strikers Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane have been heavily linked with moves away in recent weeks. Dessers – top scorer last term – sat out Sunday's friendly due to injury but Martin indicated that he is keen to keep the Nigerian, who was the subject of a recent bid from AEK Athens.
'Cyriel's just been injured, he's had a bit of a niggly ankle, but he was here today,' said the manager.
'We turned down a bid a while ago for him. That was nowhere near the valuation of the football club. And he's been great, he's desperate to train. We had to give him some treatment this week on his ankle since he's been back.
'But I'm looking forward to working with him, so that's just nowhere near happening. And hopefully he will get on the training pitch this week, and he'll start enjoying it. But he's not kicked up one moment of fuss. He seems a really good professional.'
It has been reported that Igamane, who has not been able to return to Scotland from his native Morocco this summer due to visa issues, is close to joining Lille.
'Hamza's just been a bit of a red tape,' explained Martin. 'He was due back this week with the other international players, he was at the airport and he didn't quite have the right visa, so I don't think it's anyone's fault.
'Things have changed since he last got his visa, so we've had to wait for him to get his new one, which he should have tomorrow all being well. So hopefully he will be with us this week at some point.'
Asked about interest from Lille, Martin said: 'I haven't heard of any.'
Pressed further on whether he expected to have Dessers and Igamane available for the first leg of the Champions League second qualifying round tie at home to Panathinaikos a fortnight on Tuesday, Martin said: 'That's two weeks away, so I can't plan for anything in football.'
Martin, who also revealed that defender Clinton Nsiala is likely to leave on loan, reported that key centre-back is John Souttar is recovering well after undergoing hernia surgery this summer.
'The big man's good, he's trained the last few days,' he said. 'He's reacting really well to his operation and what's he had in training. He'll be back in properly this week and he'll play next weekend (in a closed-doors friendly in England).'