SHOCKING REPORT; Rangers had things gone differently 18 months ago

Michael Beale had earmarked the then Swansea City winger as a potential Rangers signing with the Gers having at least one bid turned down by the Welsh outfit.

Six months later and Morgan Whittaker was breaking the Plymouth Argyle transfer record in a £1m move which now looks like a snip.

The 23-year-old netted 20 goals in the English Championship last season and got off the mark this campaign with a stunning long-range effort against QPR over the weekend.

With the window entering its final few days, Rangers reportedly seen a £7m Morgan Whittaker package knocked back by Plymouth earlier in the window.

With the Gers still on the hunt for a wide attacker, the situation with the forward very much remains live.

But speaking to the press following the weekend’s 1-1 draw with the Rs, Plymouth star Whittaker insists he’s just focused on playing football.

Even if he admits he has his eye on a ‘higher level’.

Morgan Whittaker responds to transfer speculation

Morgan Whittaker remains a topic of conversation in Rangers circles.

The club have been linked to a number of wide attackers and with Abdallah Sima officially moving to Brest, the Gers are expected to launch a bid somewhere this week.

Reports earlier in the window appeared to warn Rangers off a move, with Plymouth said to value Whittaker somewhere in the region of £10m

Rangers’ failure to qualify for the Champions League has dented the club’s budget and it remains unlikely the Gers could strike such a hefty deal.

Nonetheless, Morgan Whittaker was asked about his future following his wonder-strike v QPR and the forward is clear his ‘main focus’ is on the Pilgrims.

At least for the time being.

“I am playing here and that is what I want to be doing,” Whittaker told Netsport. “It’s football, you are going to want to play at the highest level you can.

“It is obviously going to be tough but my head is here and I am playing here at the minute. That is my main focus.”

Wayne Rooney lauds Rangers-linked forward

Plymouth manager Wayne Rooney has had no time for talk of Rangers interest in Morgan Whittaker this summer.

The Manchester United and England legend has been clear that only ‘crazy’ money would tempt the Championship outfit into selling their best player.

But the impact of all the transfer chatter has been felt at Home Park, with Whittaker netting only his first goal in four games this season.

The strike has been met with a sigh of relief from both the winger and manager Rooney, with Plymouth needing Whittaker firing to stave off relegation this season.

“I think he probably needed it,” Rooney told Plymouth Live. “I said after the last game (the 1-1 draw at home to Hull City) I was really pleased with his work rate and sometimes when you go on a run without scoring goals it can affect you a little bit.

“It was a great strike. That’s Morgan all over. We know he can do that and it was an important goal for us and the timing of the goal as well was good for us so really pleased he got off the mark.”

Rangers have been linked to a number of left-wingers this summer but proposed interest in Tiago Gouveia appears to have flatlined after a potentially ‘serious’ development in Portugal