Glasgow Rangers Star Danny Wilson Awaits Offer from Liverpool FC

In recent weeks, the rumor mill has been working overtime churning out stories about Liverpool Football Club, its beleaguered manager, and its disillusioned players.

There has been immense media speculation about the players that are coming into the squad, and those that are departing Anfield.

We have been informed that both Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are on the brink of ending their Liverpool careers, that Alberto Aquilani is returning home to Italy, and the latest, that Yossi Benayoun is being courted by Carlo Ancelotti of Chelsea.

And if the stories in the media are to be believed, the new faces that we may see in the red of Liverpool next season are Simao Sabrosa, Arda Turan, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Gary Cahill, and Curtis Davis.

And these are just to name a few!

Of course, it is not uncommon for such transfer rumors to be rife and spread like wildfire during the offseason. They make sensational headlines, sell newspapers, and generally provide topics of discussion.

Whether there is any truth to what is written is neither here nor there. It is still reported.

Despite all speculation and rumor, little actual business has been conducted in the halls of Anfield.

However, there is one deal that has been simmering along nicely and has more credibility than most of what has been written about to date concerning the comings and goings at L4.

Since early April this year, Liverpool and Glasgow Rangers have been locked in a transfer struggle over the Scottish champions' highly talented 18 year old central defender Danny Wilson.

Of all the other deals currently being touted about, this is the only one with any real substance.

Liverpool have actually made an offer to Rangers for Wilson of £2 million. The Scottish Club's manager, Walter Smith, has confirmed that they have received a firm offer for Wilson from Liverpool, which has been rejected.

Smith is now awaiting Liverpool's next move, which he is sure will be an improved offer.

So why are Liverpool chasing Wilson so vigorously?

The young Scot only broke into the first team nine months ago, when he was picked for the Co-operative Insurance Cup quarterfinal against Dundee.

So pleased was his manager, that Wilson was selected a week later to play alongside David Weir in Rangers' Champions League encounter away to Unirea Urziceni in Bucharest.

Wilson did not let Smith down, and showed that his mature performance at Dundee was no flash in the pan. The Champions League debutant put in as composed and assured a display as any accomplished veteran of the game.

He was cool under pressure, never panicking and walloping the ball away, but rather remaining in control and picking his passes out of trouble.

Wilson has gone on to make 25 very assured first team appearances this season, and his manager has been thoroughly impressed, as were the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association and the Scottish Football Writers' Association.

The young Scot was voted the Scottish PFA's Young Player of the Year 2010 and the Scottish FWA Young Player of the Year 2010.

Smith has made it very clear that he sees Wilson having a very big future at Rangers and that he has a world class centre back in the making at Ibrox.

He is loathed to see such a talent leave the Scottish Champions and has urged Wilson to reconsider his decision to reject a new deal from Rangers.

But with only one year left of Wilson's contract, Smith knows that he has no choice but to succumb to the youngest's wish to leave, and cash in on it.

If not, the Scottish giants will see him leave next year, with only a small amount of compensation coming their way.

Rafael Benitez has demonstrated his determination to bring the talented Scot to Anfield, despite the fact that he would not qualify as a homegrown player under the new guidelines that require a minimum of eight home-grown players, with under-21s spending a minimum of three years at any English or Welsh club, per squad.

Regardless of this, Rafa is quietly going about gathering up the hottest prospects in British football. He has already secured Raheem Sterling and Jonjo Shelvey, two of the brightest young footballers in England.

In the coming days and weeks until the new season opens again, there will be this player and that player, coming and going, to and from Anfield. There will be columns and pages devoted to this speculation, and in particular toward Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.

But for now, amid all the rumors and sensational headlines, the only player that Liverpool Football Club have made a firm offer for is Danny Wilson of Rangers.

Having seen their initial offer rejected, the club from Anfield know that they will have to fork out a far more significant sum, if they are to snare another of British football's top starlets.