Hateley tells Rangers to pocket Davis – or look elsewhere

FORMER Rangers striker Mark Hateley has urged the Ibrox club to capture the signature of Steve Davis – or start looking elsewhere to bolster a midfield depleted by the loss of skipper Barry Ferguson.

Fulham player Davis, 23, enjoyed a loan spell at Ibrox last season but the London club are looking for £4million to make the move permanent, a figure which is providing a stumbling block for Light Blues' boss Walter Smith.

Ferguson's four-month absence at the start of the season, while he recovers from an operation on his ankle, has sharpened the focus on the Ibrox side's midfield area. Hateley believes a decision on Northern Ireland internationalist Davis should be made sooner rather than later.

"The Steve Davis transfer is a key transfer," the former England striker said.

"From what we seen from Davis last season, he could be a very integral part of Rangers' season, especially at the start, when the club is without its captain. But it has to either be finalised or move on to look for somebody else. That has to be done pretty quickly, and I'm sure that Walter will be working flat out to do that."