"£5m is a lot of money" - Alan Hutton reacts as Sheffield United eye Rangers ace | OneFootball

Alan Hutton has given his verdict to FLW on Sheffield United's pursuit of Rangers striker Tom Lawrence

Sheffield United will have to pay £5 million to win the race to sign Rangers striker Tom Lawrence this summer.

According to Football Insider, the Scottish giants are hoping to earn a seven-figure sum for the 30-year-old.

It has been reported by the Scottish Daily Mail (10/06/2024, p.67) that the Blades are in the race to sign the forward, but face competition from the newly-promoted Ipswich Town.

Chris Wilder will be looking to build a team capable of earning promotion straight back to the top flight after suffering relegation last season.

However, the club’s financial situation raises questions over whether they will be able to compete for the signing of Lawrence.

Alan Hutton gives Lawrence verdict amid Sheffield United interest

Alan Hutton has raised concerns over Lawrence’s consistency during his two-season stint at Ibrox so far.

He has highlighted his lack of goals, as well as his injury record, but believes Chris Wilder is someone that could get a lot out of him in the Championship.

“Overall, he’s been very up and down,” Hutton told Football League World via Best Online Poker Sites.

“To be honest, he came in and a lot of people thought that he’d just come in and seamlessly move into the Rangers team.

“Yes, he’s been injury-hit, but we always look at stats, and I think it was three goals and three assists [in all competitions this season].

“I just believe he should be getting higher numbers as a guy I played against.

“He was younger then, but you could see the talent was there.

“It’s not quite worked out for him this season, if Rangers can get that sort of number then they’d be snapping your hand off.

“£5m is a lot of money for a 30-year-old.

“I think if he went down he’d still have a lot to offer that team under Wilder, no problem, but, again, it’s [about] keeping him fit.”

Tom Lawrence's Rangers record

Lawrence has a contract with Rangers until the summer of 2025, but it is understood that the club is willing to cash in on him now.

Philippe Clement is keen to raise funds that can be reinvested back into the side so that they can compete against Celtic for the league title next season.

This could be to the benefit of Sheffield United, who are looking to bolster their attacking options for life back in the Championship.

But it remains to be seen whether a deal can be agreed around the £5 million mark.

£5 million Lawrence fee could be steep

If funds are going to be limited for Sheffield United this summer then spending £5 million on Lawrence might not be the best use of those resources.

The forward is moving into the latter stages of his career, and is coming off the back of an injury-hit and underwhelming two seasons with Rangers.

He has contributed four goals and four assists from 28 appearances in the league across those two campaigns, which isn’t an encouraging set of numbers (all stats from Fbref).