Pundit in fiery blast at Rangers star over transfer exit as apology required over swipe at Ibrox ace

BBC Sportsound were forced to issue a live on-air apology after outspoken pundit Michael Stewart stunned radio listeners by delivering a foul-mouthed verdict on Todd Cantwell’s ongoing situation at Rangers.

Ahead of Saturday’s Premiership curtain-raiser between Hearts and the Light Blues at Tynecastle, Stewart was quick to voice his opinion on the wantaway former Norwich City playmaker as they debated his future at Ibrox. The 26-year-old has been training with the club’s B-team after submitting TWO transfer requests last month.

Cantwell’s representatives are now in the process of sealing his exit from Ibrox amid rumoured interest from English Championship side Cardiff City, despite Gers boss Philippe Clement revealing the door still remains open for him to stay and continue his career in Glasgow.

Speaking ahead of kick-off in the capital, Stewart said: “I think it's dependent on the actual character, if he’s regarded as a good lad and a strong member of the team then personally, I would be thinking that you just hope he can be persuaded and his mind can change that he can hang about.

“If he’s a bit of a (p-word) and you don’t really like him, maybe you’re thinking to yourself that you don’t want him in the changing room and you’d rather he left. But these are the things that are impossible to say what the atmosphere is like in the Rangers changing room with Todd Cantwell.

“Whether he's a good lad and somebody that's the heartbeat of the team or not, or whether he's somewhere where they think I'd be quite happy for him to leave. That's personally how I would look at it. Good guy you want him to hang about, he's an asset to the team. If he's not, you'd be disappointed that a bit of quality is leaving but there's a bigger picture there as well.”

Those remarks were shared on social media and led Sportsound presenter Kenny MacIntyre to apologise at half-time. He stated: “You’re listening to Sportsound on opening weekend of the league season, goalless at Tynecastle, we want to apologise for any offence caused by language in the pre-match chat that was before kick-off.”