Rangers ready to land prolific winger Kwame Poku as Cerny leaves

Glasgow Rangers are increasingly confident they have won the race to sign in-demand winger Kwame Poku, sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk. The 23-year-old is departing Peterborough United as a free agent and has attracted significant interest from a host of English Championship clubs, including a strong push from Birmingham, as well as inquiries from abroad. However, the Scottish giants now believe they are on the verge of securing his signature.

Poku, a Ghana international, has been a standout performer in League One, despite an injury-hit campaign where he still managed an impressive return of 12 goals and eight assists. His current contract with Peterborough expires on June 30, making him a highly attractive prospect for clubs seeking to strengthen their attacking options without a transfer fee.

Rangers view Poku as an ideal candidate to fill the void left by Vaclav Cerny, whose permanent move to Ibrox was deemed too costly after his loan spell last season. The acquisition of Poku would be a significant boost for manager Russell Martin, providing a dynamic wide player with proven goal contributions.

For Peterborough, Poku's expected departure represents another blow, following the free transfer of Ricky-Jade Jones to Bundesliga side St Pauli. Posh, known for developing talent and selling players for profit, ideally hoped Poku would remain in England due to the higher compensation tribunal values for under-24 players in domestic transfers compared to FIFA's regulations for cross-border moves. While they will still receive a compensation fee if he moves to Rangers or another European club, it will be significantly less than what they could have obtained in an English transfer.

Manager Russell Martin is also reportedly exploring further additions, with a potential reunion with midfielder Flynn Downes from his former club Southampton on the cards. Additionally, Leicester City defender Conor Coady has held talks about a move to Govan, and Swansea's Harry Darling, who is also wanted by several Championship clubs like Norwich, remains on Martin's radar for defensive reinforcements.