Ibrox Sources: Rangers must beat Portsmouth's offer to agree deal as stance made clear

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(Credit: Imago) Sun 24 May 2026 10:01, UK Rangers have been told they must outbid Portsmouth if they wish to complete a deal to sign Luke Graham this summer, sources have told Football Insider.The English Championship club made a formal bid to sign the 22-year-old during the January transfer window but saw their move blocked by Dundee.Dundee are reluctant to lose their star man this summer, and while there is a belief the right offer could be accepted, Rangers will face stiff competiton.As I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Transfer Insider podcast, Graham is set to be the subject of a multi-club race when the transfer window opens.Danny Rohl’s side are very keen to land the centre-back, and could make a move as part of Rangers’ ambitious transfer plans, but their offer will have to be a good one. 🔄 Rangers Transfer Update 🔄 Breaking news on latest signings, departures, and contract news from the Ibrox boardroom. VISIT THE RANGERS TRANSFER HUB MORE FOOTBALL INSIDER STORIES Could Rangers beat rivals to sign Dundee’s Luke Graham?Football Insider revealed on 22 May that Graham is a top target for Rangers ahead of the summer transfer window and they are hopeful of agreeing a deal.They had originally eyed a move for the centre-back in January before any talk of a departure were ruled out, and are now expected to reignite their interest.Luke Graham2025-26 StatsAppearances36Starts36Minutes Played3128Tackles Won per 900.80Interceptions per 901.41Luke Graham’s Scottish Premiership stats for Dundee FC in 2025-26.

(via FBref)Rohl hopes to improve his defensive options when the window opens as the Ibrox club brace to lose Nasser Djiga, and Graham is now firmly on their radar.Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: “Luke Graham is a player that has been on the radar for Rangers for a while now.“It’s an area of the team that Rangers will look to strengthen in the summer because they are probably a bit short at centre-back with Djiga going back to Wolves.“It won’t be a straightforward one for Rangers to do because there’s a lot of interest in the 22-year-old centre-back from a number of clubs in England.“Portsmouth tried to sign him in January, had a bid rejected for him and could return for that one, so Rangers will have to make a better offer than them.“If it’s a deal that Rangers want to do, they’ll have to move quickly and try and get a deal tied up for Graham.”What has Andrew Cavenagh said about signing Graham?Rangers are now putting plans in place for a big summer transfer window as they aim to close the gap to rivals Celtic after what was a miserable end to the season.While he hasn’t commented on any individual targets, chief executive Andrew Cavenagh has given some insight into what the club’s transfer plans will look like.Andrew Cavenagh says Rangers now have a 'pro-Scottish and SPFL bias' in the transfer window.However, he acknowledges that is far from the only criteria being looked at as the club seeks to recruit the right characters this summer.“We have a pro-Scottish bias in the club… pic.twitter.com/pmA5Yo1mH0— The Rangers Review (@RangersReview55) May 18, 2026 View Tweet A renewed focus on signing Scottish talent and players with SPFL experience is set to take precedent, and Graham ticks a number of boxes for Rangers in that respect.This comes after Football Insider revealed on 22 May that Rangers are planning to back Rohl with a number of incoming signings in the summer window.Despite question marks over the manager’s future, the board are hoping to back him by investing in the squad in hopes of seeing major improvements next season. Don’t Miss a Beat: Your Rangers Insider Access Updated 24/7 with expert analysis from the heart of Govan.