Walter Chases Beattie and Smith

Walter Smith today confirmed that Rangers were in talks with Stoke City striker James Beattie and Portsmouth’s Tommy Smith.

Beattie at Ibrox this afternoon

Beattie was in Glasgow this afternoon finalising a deal which could see the 32-year-old in the squad for Saturday’s league opener against Kilmarnock. After long discussions with Rapid Vienna, the deal for Nikica Jelavic remains halted and the Gers will wait until this afternoon before stepping away from the £3.5m deal which was agreed yesterday. The former England international will be a replacement for the departed Kris Boyd who scored 26 goals last season for the SPL Champions. Beattie was probably in his best vein of form when at Southampton, where he spent 7 years on the south-coast. He scored 68 league goals for the Saints, including 23 league goals in 2002/2003. Beattie also had spells with Everton and Sheffield United before arriving at Stoke in 2009 and he had an excellent six months under Tony Pullis before they were involved in a dressing-room incident which saw Beattie fall out of favour at the Britannia Stadium.

Tommy Smith could be on his way to Ibrox aswell

Portsmouth’s Tommy Smith is in talks over a £1.5m move to Ibrox. Smith has been on the Rangers radar for a few months and the 30-year-old has only made 17 appearances in his time at Fratton Park. Smith’s best spell came at Watford in two stints there where he made a total of 275 appearances at Vicarage Road. The former England U-21 International can operate as a central striker or on either flank which is probably where he will play for Rangers if he is signed due to the lack of wide players at the club. Another target, Nacer Barazite, who was on trial for Rangers in a 2-1 defeat to Glentoran is locked in talks over a loan move to Ibrox after the Dutchman impressed in East Belfast on Tuesday under the watchful eye of first-team coach Iain Durrant.