5-year contract offered in last-ditch attempt to keep ace Rangers want to sign - report

West Ham United have offered Ben Johnson another last-ditch contract offer amid interest from Rangers in the exit-bound defender, according to The Athletic.

The outlet reported via their website on 11 June that the Hammers have put five-year deal on improved terms on the table to prevent the versatile defender from leaving the club at the end of the month on a free transfer, and he is said to be considering “all his options”.

The Light Blues are one of a number of clubs who have been credited with an interest in signing the 24-year-old if he becomes available, amid uncertainty over captain and long-term starter at right-back James Tavernier.

Two former Ibrox bosses are interested in signing the Light Blues star, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst wanting him at new club Besiktas [Sozcu, 9 June] and Steven Gerrard long-thought to be after a reunion at Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Pro League [Daily Record, 24 May].

West Ham to keep hold of Rangers target at the last minute?

Johnson appeared to be set on leaving the London Stadium after rejecting multiple previous offers from the club, but the switch at manager from David Moyes to Julen Lopetegui has changed the situation and the latter clearly wants to keep the Englishman from leaving.

Whether it will be enough to change the 24-year-old’s mind about moving on remains to be seen but he is set to hit the open market in less than three weeks as things stand.

Rangers are far from the only side interested in landing him if he does, and it might be a difficult race to win against multiple English Premier League clubs either way.

If Tavernier remains it is even harder to see a player like Johnson being interested in an Ibrox switch when it is a lack of game time in East London that has pushed him this close to the exit.

But if Philippe Clement decides this summer is the time to cash in on the captain there will be a gaping hole at right-back left in his wake.

Another versatile English defender, albeit one who may switch to represent Jamaica this summer, arrived last summer on a free as the heir apparent to Tavernier in Dujon Sterling from Chelsea.

But the Ibrox stand out has demonstrated his worth in multiple other positions now and looks most useful in central midfield, so there could still be a new starting position available, and Rangers are reportedly only looking to sign a right-back if they move one on [Daily Record, 4 June].

In other Rangers news, a first-team ace who wants to leave Ibrox has been offered a surprise exit route.

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