Norwich City midfielder cannot let Rangers opportunity slip by: View | OneFootball

Norwich City midfielder Kenny McLean cannot let Rangers opportunity slip away this summer.

Highlights

It is a fresh start at Norwich City, as the club begins the Johannes Hoff Thorup reign after the Dane replaced David Wagner.

The Canaries endured a frustrating 2023/24 season, as even though they secured a place in the play-offs, it wasn’t a season that was plain sailing.

Their performance over the two legs against Leeds United in the play-offs in the end cost Wagner his job, so the hope is that things can only improve under the new manager.

Hoff Thorup is likely going to want to take his time assessing his new squad before making any rash decisions on transfers.

It now appears as though midfielder Kenny McLean could be another Norwich player whose future is in doubt, as Scottish side Rangers circle with interest.

It first came to light that Rangers had an interest in Kenny McLean when it was reported by the Daily Record earlier this week.

That report at the time stated that manager Phillipe Clement is keen to bolster his options in the midfield, and they have an interest in the Scottish midfielder.

It was then claimed that Norwich would not accept a cut-price deal for the midfielder, with them looking to receive a substantial fee.

It now appears as though Rangers’ interest has been made concrete, as, according to Football Insider, Rangers have made contact with the Canaries over a possible deal for McLean.

The report states that the midfielder is someone that fits the bill of what Rangers are looking to sign, but there is a potential hurdle in any deal that may happen.

The update says that McLean’s salary of over £30,000 could be a sticking point, as that would be considered high by Rangers’ standards.

Kenny McLean cannot let Rangers opportunity slip by

Kenny McLean is not a stranger to Rangers Football Club, as the midfielder played for the club’s under-17s from 2006 to 2008.

Since leaving the Gers, McLean has gone on to play for teams such as St. Mirren, Aberdeen, and Norwich City.

The 32-year-old has been with the Canaries since January 2018, and since then he has taken his game to the next level, becoming an important figure in Norwich’s midfield.

McLean started his first season at the club reasonably well, as he scored three goals and chipped in with six assists in 20 league games. Since then, he has gone on to play more games every season, but hasn’t been able to be among the goals as much.

The midfielder did continue to have an influence on the team last season, as he played in every league game in the 2023/24 season, during which he scored one goal and recorded five assists, which is rather impressive given he played at centre-back for a part of the campaign.

McLean started all 46 league games, as he averaged 89 minutes on the pitch and finished the season with an average Sofascore.com rating of 7.09.

The Scottish midfielder didn’t really pose too much of a threat in front of goal, with him being more key in terms of creating chances.

McLean created seven big chances for his teammates, as well as collecting 0.7 key passes per 90, and while he did grab five assists, he could have possibly added more to his name.

The midfielder has also been shining for Scotland throughout his career and he was a part of the squad that played in this year’s Euro 2024 tournament. However, he failed to start in Scotland’s three group stage games, which will have been a disappointment.

But his performances for club and country don’t seem to have gone unnoticed, as Rangers look keen to sign the midfielder this summer.

The 32-year-old still has two years left to run on his current contract, but this could be an important time in the player’s career, as an opportunity to join Rangers may not come around again.

This may not seem like a big move, but given that McLean has previously made his feelings on a move to Ibrox clear, it's not something he can pass up, quite clearly.

Furthermore, while the Scottish Premiership may not be of the highest quality, this opportunity means he could play in Europe, which is something he can’t achieve with Norwich as they plod along in the Championship.

While with the Canaries, he could play Premier League football again, Rangers offer a chance that may not come around again in his career - from a football and personal perspective.

McLean needs to take this opportunity and tell Norwich that it is something he is keen on exploring. It is unclear how long the 32-year-old midfielder has left to play football, so this may be his final chance to play European football and win trophies with a boyhood team.