Rangers wanted Jake Clarke-Salter, who is now being tracked by Dortmund and co

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Reports today have suggested that Rangers tried to sign Jake Clarke-Salter this summer. The Guardian reports that the central defender met with Steven Gerrard to discuss a loan move to Ibrox.

The England under-20 World Cup winner was reportedly spoken to at the Toulon Tournament, which England won, with Gerrard talking up a Glasgow loan.

However, the talented defender decided to join Chelsea farm club Vitesse Arnhem instead.

Rangers will now feel very disappointed not to have convinced him into the Ibrox switch.

Despite a poor loan spell at Sunderland last term, the 21-year-old has been magnificent for Vitesse. He has played 13 times for the Dutch side, becoming a crucial member of their defensive unit.

Such form has not gone unnoticed. As reported by HITC Sport and The Sun, the likes of Fulham, Burnley and German giants Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen are all interested in his services after an impressive start to life in the Netherlands.

Rangers eventually did plenty of strengthening at centre-back. Connor Goldson, Nikola Katic, Joe Worrall and Gareth McAuley all arrived for Gerrard’s men.

But judging by the form of Clarke-Salter, and the calibre of clubs after him, he might have been the best of the bunch.