Latics signing hopes boosted

DEAN FURMAN: A possible transfer target for Athletic.

ATHLETIC’S hopes of signing Glasgow Rangers midfield player Dean Furman have received a boost.

The 20-year-old, who is known to be a target for Athletic, has rejected the chance to join Bradford City on a permanent basis.

The central midfield player had a season-long loan at Bradford and a permanent transfer looked a distinct possibility.

But Furman has turned down Bradford, saying he wants to play at a higher level than Coca-Cola League Two which gives League One Athletic a stronger hand.

Furman has rejected a new deal at Rangers, but the stumbling block could be an insistence on compensation for the player who cannot leave as a free agent as he is under the age of 24.

It is thought Rangers are looking for a fee of around £50,000 for the player, who was born in South Africa.

He kicked off his career at Chelsea before joining Rangers where he captained their reserves to a title success.

He was loaned to Bradford and last season made 33 appearances, scoring four goals.

Furman, who won an award for being Bradford’s most consistent player last season, is described as a high-energy central midfield player.

And it is thought Furman and Latics new-boy Jon Worthington could form an effective partnership in the middle of the park.

If Furman joins Athletic, it will compensate for losing out on central defender Zesh Rehman.

The giant centre-back has signed a two-year contract with Bradford on a free transfer from QPR.

Rehman, the first Pakistan international to play in English football, had also been a target for Athletic manager Dave Penney.

He kicked off his career at Fulham but spent the last three seasons at QPR, though he was loaned to Bradford for the whole of the 2008/09 campaign.


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