“Rangers Boss SLAMS Door on Jamie Vardy Mega-Transfer in SHOCKING Tell-All!”

Russell Martin has chosen not to comment directly on growing speculation linking Rangers with a surprise move for former England and Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy.

The 38-year-old forward, who recently saw a proposed move to Italian side Genoa collapse, is now being widely touted for a potential switch to Ibrox following his departure from Leicester at the end of last season.

With Rangers looking to bolster their attacking options, Vardy’s name has entered the rumour mill.

However, Martin remained tight-lipped when questioned about the veteran striker after his side’s 2-2 draw with Club Brugge in a pre-season friendly on Sunday.

“I think I’ve been asked about so many players—some who are nowhere near, and some who are spot on,” Martin said.

“So, I’m not going to give you an answer on that. But I guess in the next few weeks you’ll find out who is a real target and who’s not.”

Rangers have already completed five new signings so far this summer, but the new manager hinted that further activity is on the horizon.

The squad could still see more arrivals and departures as Martin continues reshaping the team ahead of the 2025/26 season.

“We definitely want to do more, that’s for sure,” he said. “And some players will probably need to move on too. The squad’s starting to look a bit heavy and large, so there’ll be some changes soon.”

Two players who have been heavily linked with exits are forwards Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane.

Dessers, who finished as Rangers’ top scorer last season, missed the friendly against Brugge due to an ankle injury.

Despite speculation, Martin expressed his desire to keep the Nigerian international, who has attracted interest from Greek club AEK Athens.

“Cyriel’s had a niggly ankle injury but he’s been around, and we’ve already turned down a bid that was well below the club’s valuation,” Martin explained. “He’s been excellent in his attitude and is eager to train.

We’ve had to manage the injury carefully, but I’m really looking forward to working with him. He’s shown nothing but professionalism and hasn’t caused any issues.”

Meanwhile, Igamane has been stuck in Morocco due to visa complications, preventing his return to pre-season training.

Reports have suggested that Ligue 1 side Lille are interested in signing him, but Martin claimed he hadn’t been informed of any formal approach.

“Hamza’s situation is just down to visa red tape,” said Martin. “He was at the airport ready to return but didn’t have the right documentation.

There’s no one to blame—it’s just a case of circumstances changing since he last travelled. We expect the new visa to come through shortly, possibly tomorrow, and hopefully he’ll join us this week.”

When asked whether Dessers and Igamane would be available for the Champions League second qualifying round first leg against Panathinaikos in just over two weeks, Martin remained cautious.

“It’s hard to plan anything in football two weeks ahead,” he said. “We’ll just see how things develop.”

In terms of defensive changes, Martin confirmed that young defender Clinton Nsiala is likely to head out on loan this summer to gain more first-team experience.

He also provided a positive update on centre-back John Souttar, who is making a strong recovery after undergoing hernia surgery during the off-season.

“The big man’s doing well,” Martin reported. “He’s been back in training over the past few days and is responding well to everything.

He’ll be back in full training this week and should feature in our behind-closed-doors friendly next weekend in England.”

As Rangers’ pre-season preparations continue, Martin clearly has more decisions ahead as he assesses his squad and considers potential incoming and outgoing transfers.