Thread: R*ngers in talks with Eidur Gudjohnsen

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Eidur Gudjohnsen could be set to join R*ngers from French club Monaco. Reports in France on Saturday morning claim representatives from the SPL champions are currently in the principality holding talks with the Ligue 1 club.

Gudjohnsen spent the second half of the 2009/10 season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur, after struggling to make an impact with the Rouge et Blanc. The Icelandic forward moved to the French league from Barcelona only one year ago but has played only nine times for Monaco, seeing just 483 minutes of playing time.

Radio station RMC, which broadcasts in Monte Carlo, say the out-of-favour player could favour a move to Scotland, becoming Walter Smith's first signing ahead of the new season. Whether the SPL side would take the 31-year-old on loan or on a permanent basis remains to be seen, although the latter would seem unlikely given the wages the player currently commands.

Following the purchase of Standard Liege striker Dieumerci Mbokani last week, Monaco boss Guy Lacombe is believed to be keen to move Gudjohnsen on. His availability appears to have alerted R*ngers, who are currently pursuing a number of options to bolster their thin squad.

Well regarded in world football, Gudjohnsen began his career with Valur Reykjavik, before a two-year spell at Dutch club PSV. He returned to Iceland at the age of 19 for a short time with KR, before Bolton Wanderers came calling in 1998.

Impressive after a slow start with the Trotters, Gianluca Vialli came calling in 2000 to take the player to Chelsea, where he made over 200 appearances and scored 80 times. His form alerted Barcelona in 2006, who spent over 12 million Euros on the player to replace Henrik Larsson.

His Barca career had looked like being short lived, with then-boss Frank Rijkaard coming close to selling him back to England after one season. But a number of polished displays, in which he also showed his ability as a midfielder and as a wide player, prolonged his career at Camp Nou well into the Pep Guardiola era.

The purchase of Gudjohnsen would be seen as something of a coup for the Scottish club, who have failed to replace any of six departing players this summer to date. Kris Boyd and Nacho Novo left a gap in Smith's forward line, which the Gers boss has been working to plug in recent weeks.

Negotiations are continuing with Rapid Vienna over the purchase of striker Nikica Jelavic, after Martin Bain returned home from a trip to Austria on Thursady having failed to convince the club to accept a £3.5 million offer. Honduran striker Georgie Welcome is currently on trial at Murray Park, trying to win a move from Motagua.