Rangers transfer news latest as Ross Stewart battle set to up with Sunderland preparing 'best paid' offer

Rangers are ready to battle it out with a trio of English Championship clubs for Ross Stewart as Sunderland prepared to keep him at the Stadium of Light by making him their best paid player.

The 25-year-old was on target in the playoff final at Wembley to fire the Black Cats back into England’s second tier.

And Wearside boss Alex Neil is desperate to keep Stewart with Sunderland keen to get him tied down to a new deal that will make him their “best-paid star”, according to a report in the Mirror.

Record Sport understands Rangers have not yet made an offer to Stewart. We also believe Stewart will receive an automatic wage rise given promotion.

But they say the North East outfit face a fight with Middlesbrough, QPR and Sheffield United also in the hunt for the 26-goal hitman who earned a call up to Steve Clarke’s Scotland squad.

And they add that Rangers remain interested in signing the former Ross County striker as Giovanni van Bronckhorst prepares for a major rebuild this summer.

Veteran goalkeeper Allan McGregor could yet stay on but Austrian shot-stopper Martin Fraisl has been linked as a potential replacement.

The 29-year-old left newly-promoted Bundesliga side Schalke and the free agent said he “wants to play at a very, very high level”.

Bolton Wanderers winger Dapo Afolayan is another Rangers -linked name with the £1.5million-rated star attracting interest from English Championship clubs.

The 24-year-old moved to Lancashire from West Ham United where he spent three years but didn’t make a first-team appearance.