Russell Martin wants to reunite with Southampton star at Rangers as boss eyes swoop – with EPL left-back a…

NEW Rangers boss Russell Martin wants to raid old club Southampton for highly-rated Flynn Downes.

But he could be priced out of a move, with relegated Saints demanding at least £10million for the classy playmaker.

Martin took Downes to St Mary’s from West Ham, having also managed him at Swansea.

The 26-year-old could fancy a crack at the Premiership instead of a return to England’s second tier with Saints.

But Martin will get no favours from his old club over the fee.

He will be busy in the transfer market after being handed £20m to overhaul the squad.

Left-back Harry Toffolo is set to quit Nottingham Forest and is interested in a switch to Ibrox after playing only a handful of games late last season.

Martin will inherit Jefte and Ridvan Yilmaz as left-backs, but the Turk has been heavily linked with a return home.

Veteran Leicester City defender Conor Coady is also on Gers’ radar.

Meanwhile, Gers boss Martin insists he has no plans to strip James Tavernier of the Rangers captaincy.

He said: “He’s been the captain for a very long time. If he’s playing, I don’t see any reason to change that. And if he’s not playing, it will force someone else.

“First and foremost, I want to speak to him to explain to me and have a discussion about the last two years, his thoughts on the team.

“His thoughts on what we’re going to bring and how the players will feel about that.

“To play here as long as he has, to be captain as long as he has, takes a lot of energy. It’s not easy.

“I’ve been at a club where sometimes the one that’s been there longest ends up getting criticised a lot because you’ve been there the longest.

“Then how much he gets used on the pitch will be down to Tav and how he trains and how he plays, the same as every player.

“But he’s going to be hugely important in the culture here.

“I know what he’s like as a person behind the scenes and he’s fantastic.

“He was when I played with him and hopefully it hasn’t beaten him up too much. It doesn’t seem like it has.

“He still seems like he plays with a big smile and a lot of enthusiasm.

“It does carry a big weight to be captain of a club this size. He’s done it incredibly well.

“How much he plays on the pitch, I can’t sit here and tell you he’s going to play 50 games, 20 games, whatever.

“It will be down to him in the way he performs and the way he buys into it, which I’m pretty sure he will.”