No Hearts bid for Rangers winger Michael O'Halloran, says Mark Warburton
Tuesday 24 January 2017 17:06, UK
Rangers manager Mark Warburton admits he has sympathy for his winger Michael O'Halloran but has refuted claims he is bound for Hearts.
The former St Johnstone forward has struggled to make an impact since joining Gers for £500,000 a year ago.
Reports this week suggested Hearts are one of four Premiership clubs looking to strike a short-term loan deal for the 26-year-old.
Warburton insists he has yet to hear from the Tynecastle side and confirmed O'Halloran is part of the squad preparing for Saturday's Scottish Cup clash with Motherwell at Ibrox.
He did, however, concede the former Bolton player - who has made just five league starts this term - needs the chance to play after becoming frustrated by his lack of action.
Warburton said: "I've read some bizarre stories that Michael is off to Hearts. I'm sure Ian Cathro would have called me. He, I'm sure, knew nothing about it and neither do I.
"It is just one of many stories where players are linked with (moves), where players are going out. Until the window closes, you are never sure.
"From our point of view, Michael is one of our players and will be involved on Saturday. Michael is one of many players who wants to play.
"He needs games. It's the life of a manager that players will be banging on the door if they don't get enough pitch time. I can understand their frustration. Players want to play."
Warburton also admitted January is proving a difficult month to bring in new faces at Ibrox but did not rule out a further addition.
"January is notoriously difficult. If you are the buyer, you end up paying inflated fees because the sellers don't want to lose their best players at this time of year, Warburton said.
"So January can end up becoming very expensive if you overspend on players and don't get the value you have to see.
"If we can bring in anybody else, we will do - but it depends if they right player becomes available at the right price for the club. It has to be somebody adding something we don't currently possess."
