22 May 2007

Rangers are ready to make former England left back Paul Konchesky their fourth recruit for next season.

Sportsmail understands Ibrox manager Walter Smith has been offered the out-of-favour West Ham defender in a cut-price £500,000 deal.

Konchesky, who was capped by Sven Goran Eriksson, is out of the picture at Upton Park after a long-running feud with boss Alan Curbishley.

It is believed he has played his last game for the club and could be on his way to Ibrox if talks are successful.

Smith is eager for defensive cover after first-choice left-back Steven Smith missed the last six months of the campaign with a persistent groin problem.

He has tried to plug the hole with Ian Murray and Sasa Papac, but neither has looked comfortable in the position.

Having already signed Alan Gow, Kirk Broadfoot and French forward Jean-Claude Darcheville on free transfers, a low cost move for Konchesky would be attractive to the Rangers boss as he operates on a limited budget this summer.

Fresh competition for places is inevitable after the loss at Aberdeen.

Veteran centre-half David Weir has warned his team-mates they must improve after finishing the season with back-to-back defeats and minus a trophy in the Ibrox cabinet.

However, the Scotland stalwart refuted suggestions that the Euro-chasing Dons wanted the three points more.

He said: "At Rangers, you can't afford to write off a couple games. The last couple of games against Kilmarnock and Aberdeen have been very disappointing.

"I don't think we played well enough to win the game and the damage was done when Aberdeen scored those goals during the first half.

"We were aware of the situation with regard to Aberdeen pushing for third place. But, before and during the game, it didn't feel as if they wanted it more."

Smith, who will lead his players to Los Angeles this morning for a glamour friendly against LA Galaxy, shared Weir's frustration at the last-day loss.

He said: "We are disappointed to lose the game but I felt Aberdeen had an extra edge.

"They were brighter in the first half. We had more of the possession after the break but we just couldn't score." Source - Daily Mail

18 June 2007

Rangers will step up their interest in West Ham’s Paul Konchesky by ditching flop defender Sasa Papac.
Bosnian Papac, who cost £1million when he was signed by Paul le Guen from FK Austria last summer, has been told he does not figure in Walter Smith’s plans.

That has alerted St Etienne, who wanted to sign the 27-year-old centre-back a year ago, but lost out to the Ibrox side.

Papac joined his former team mates Filip Sebo and Libor Sionko who were also lured from the Austrian champs by le Guen. Rangers will accept £1million for him and offer the same to the hammers for Konchesky, who has been on Smith’s radar since January.

Konchesky, 26, has been unsettled at Upton Park in recent times after being switched from his favoured left-back role to midfield.

He could fill Rangers’ problem No3 postion where, ironically, Papac was shifted to last season as Smith went for the experienced double-act of Ugo Ehiogu and David Weir in central defence.