Rangers and West Ham suffer transfer blow in pursuit of Sunderland star as rival club enters 'driving seat'

Rangers and West Ham United look set for transfer disappointment over a Sunderland star who appears bound for the English Championship.

The Light Blues are making recruits this January transfer window as head coach Danny Rohl leads a charge towards the top of the Premiership. Tochi Chukwuani has been added in midfield ahead of a league match with Dundee, where second-placed Rangers will look to gain ground towards the top as leaders Hearts host third-placed Celtic at the same time as their battle with Steven Pressley’s side.

More midfield additions are seemingly being sought and Sunderland man Dan Neil has been prominently linked. He has found himself frozen out at the Premier League side after captaining them back to the top flight of English football last season and West Ham United are one of the others said to be rivalling Rangers for him. New claims suggest it’s Ipswich Town who are leading the race, as they seek automatic promotion out of the Championship. Neil could be set to opt for that battle over a Scottish title fight or Premier League relegation scrap.

Dan Neil future latest

A report from the Daily Record reads: “Ipswich chiefs are pushing hard to pip Rangers for Sunderland star Dan Neil. The Black Cats midfielder is high up on Danny Rohl’ s Ibrox wish list. Bu Record Sport understands the Portman Road outfit have leapt to the head of the queue after making their move for the 24-year-old over the weekend.

“West Ham - who claimed a 3-1 win over Regis Le Bris' side on Saturday - are also interested but Kieran McKenna’s Championship high flyers are in the driving seat. Boyhood Sunderland fan Neil sat out their clash at the London Stadium as talks progressed. Rangers made their move earlier this month after lodging their interest with Sunderland director of football Florent Ghisolfi.”

In the meantime, Rohl has retained Rangers youth coach Steven Smith in his senior set-up until at least the end of the season. Having taken inteirm charge of Rangers prior to Rohl’s arrival after the sacking of Russell Martin earlier this season, Smith told club media: “It is a role that I am enjoying.

Steven Smith on coaching role at Rangers

“It’s one that I probably knew I was ready for, for a period of time so I am really enjoying it so far. I think I have done it the right way. I went back to the start, when I first came back to the academy, I was coaching the Under-9's and 10's, and I have kind of worked my way through.

“I think I have also earned the right to be in the role that I am in just now, but I go back to the point that I am really enjoying it so far. The results have been really good in the main, but we also know as a staff that there is a lot of work to do as well.

“One of the benefits of working in the academy, especially the younger age groups, there is not that much attention, so you get to make mistakes and get to fail out of the limelight if you like, but I feel like I am now more than ready to step into the first-team environment, and I have been for a while now.”