Sources: Shock Rangers transfer claim emerges that will leave Wilson excited - opinion

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst is facing a battle to keep central defender Filip Helander at Ibrox beyond the summer.

According to Football Insider, sources have revealed the giant centre-back is attracting interest from a team south of the border ahead of the summer.

The report claims that former Gers manager Steven Gerrard wants to be reunited with the Swede to replace Tyrone Mings at Aston Villa next season. He is not convinced by the England international and is now monitoring Helander with a view to a swoop for him later this year.

Rangers’ sporting director will surely be rubbing his hands together with excitement at the prospect of being able to cash in on Helander.

His pre-existing relationship with Gerrard could allow him to negotiate a favourable financial package with Villa, whilst the deal, in general, would be a shock.

Despite the Liverpool legend’s connection with Rangers, it would be an incredibly surprising move given Helander’s issues this season. He has struggled for form and fitness and has not done enough to suggest that he would be an asset to a Premier League team, much less ahead of Mings.

In the Premiership this season, he has only played six times and averaged an underwhelming SofaScore rating of 6.75 – lower than any other senior Gers centre-back – and was subbed off at half-time in his last two starts in the division.

Rangers have only kept one clean sheet in his six outings and the overall standard of his performances has been below-par in comparison to the other players in his position. Connor Goldson, Leon Balogun and Calvin Bassey have all averaged scores of 6.97 or higher, whilst outcast Jack Simpson previously averaged a score of 6.83.

His injuries are also a massive cause for