Norwich City veteran Kenny McLean wanted by Rangers - a transfer hurdle has emerged though | OneFootball

Rangers are interested in signing the Norwich City captain Kenny McLean, but Canaries manager Liam Manning wants to keep him at Carrow Road.

Scottish giants Rangers are interested in signing Norwich City captain Kenny McLean, - but Canaries boss Liam Manning wants to keep the midfielder at Carrow Road.

It's been an inconsistent start to the new season for Norwich, with two wins and two defeats from their opening four Championship matches of the season.

Now, the Canaries may face a battle to hold onto their captain McLean amid reports of interest in signing the 33-year-old before the closure of this summer's transfer window.

Twelve new players have already arrived at Carrow Road over the course of the summer, as the Canaries seek to improve on a disappointing 2024-25 season which saw them finish in 13th place in the final Championship table - some 11 points short of a play-off place.

But now there's interest in one of their most important players, with less than two days of the summer transfer window to go before it closes until January.

Rangers interested in taking Kenny McLean to Ibrox - Liam Manning wants to keep the Scotsman

Journalist Alan Nixon reports that Rangers - managed by former City defender Russell Martin - are interested in tying up the signing of the Norwich central midfielder and captain Kenny McLean before the closure of the summer transfer window on Monday evening.

But he also adds that the Norwich head coach Liam Mannning would very much like to see the player stay at Carrow Road this season.

The matter is complicated by the fact that McLean is a Rangers fan who started his career in their academy system, before being released by the club and starting his senior career at St Mirren instead.

At 33 years of age, with a year left to run on his contract, but with Norwich holding an option to extend next summer, this could be the last chance for McLean to play for the club that he supports and for whom he played as a boy.

But any moves to sign McLean are expected to run into opposition to any move from Norwich.

Manning said: “Kenny’s leadership is huge. He is very important to us. I’ve had some really good chats and made it clear what we think of him.

"He has not intimated anything about leaving. He rushed back for the team. It speaks volumes for him as a person and a professional that was able to do that.”

Rangers need organisation and experience - Kenny McLean has bags of both

Rangers certainly need a little organisation, because the former MK Dons, Swansea City and Southampton manager Russell Martin has so far overseen a catastrophic start to the season for the Glasgow club, their worst start to a League season since 1989.

A muted goalless draw at home to Celtic in the first Old Firm Derby of the season has now extended their run to four draws from four matches in the SPFL so far this season. Rangers couldn't manage a single shot on target throughout this entire match.

And there can be little doubt that Kenny McLean could be the answer to these woes.

Over seven and a half years at Carrow Road during which he has ascended to the rank of club captain, and with 268 appearances for Norwich under his belt and 50 international caps for Scotland, McLean is a highly experienced player, with years of experience in both the Premier League and the Championship.

But the question of whether Liam Manning will be able to persuade McLean to stay remains open.

The sentimental appeal of a return to Scotland to see out the autumn years of his playing career back at the club at which he started his journey should be obvious, especially with that team having made such a tepid start to their League season. There may yet be big changes to come to the Norwich City squad before this summer's transfer window closes.