Rangers target Mika up for sale

RANGERS� pursuit of midfield reinforcements received a boost today as PSV Eindhoven revealed Mika Vayrynen is up for sale.

By THOMAS JORDAN and BERT MITCHELL

RANGERS' pursuit of midfield reinforcements received a boost today as PSV Eindhoven revealed Mika Vayrynen is up for sale.

The 26-year-old Finnish international has moved on to Walter Smith's signing radar following the long-term injury to captain Barry Ferguson.

The Ibrox manager was linked to the playmaker just over a year ago and has made tentative enquires regarding his availability - and he has been encouraged with news the Dutch side are prepared to offload the player.

Vayrynen has only a year left on his current contract to run and PSV are thought to be ready to sell him if a £750,000 bid is tabled - which is well within Rangers' transfer budget.

PSV spokesman Pedro Salazar said: "He only has a contract for another year and we don't want him to leave for free. So if he wants to go, we will be sympathetic."

The player's agent, Alex Kroes, added: "I haven't heard from Rangers so far, but a club in Belgium are interested. Rangers would be a very nice club for Mika, so let's hope they will come to do something."

Meanwhile, Carlos Cuellar claimed both the Player of the Year and Players' Player of the Year gongs at the club's annual awards ceremony.

And the Spaniard has handed Smith a massive boost ahead of next week's probable Champions League qualifier with Kaunas by shaking off a calf injury to return to training.

Cuellar is unlikely to be involved in tonight's friendly at Clyde, but a run-out at Raith Rovers on Saturday has been pencilled in for his return.

The former Osasuna man had already been named as the top performer in Scotland by SPL sponsors Clydesdale Bank and the Scottish Football Writers' Association.

And now his Ibrox domestic double - secured by the votes of his team-mates and thousands of fans from around the world - has left Cuellar delighted.

The 26 year-old said: "To be voted for by the Rangers fans is special."

The Young Player of the Year gong was scooped by 16-year-old John Fleck after the talented teenager played a key role in another double for Billy Kirkwood's youth team, while also making a Scottish Cup Final appearance in the 3-2 victory over Queen of the South.

At the opposite end of the age spectrum in Smith's squad was the winner of the John Greig Achievement Award, Davie Weir. The 38-year-old managed over 60 games last season.

Steven Whittaker collected the Carling Fans' Goal of the Season award for his solo strike against Sporting Lisbon in the Uefa Cup quarter-final in Portugal.

Gers spy Ewan Chester will take in the Champions League first qualifying round second leg clash between Kaunas and Santa Coloma tonight, with the Lithuanians holding a 4-1 lead.

Smith will field a mix and match side against Morton at Murray Park this afternoon as he bids to get maximum game time for everyone in his squad, with a strong team then heading to Broadwood this evening.