Mark Warburton: Scottish Cup final is bonus for Rangers
Friday 20 May 2016 07:19, UK
Mark Warburton believes the lure of European football for Rangers will make it easier to attract players to the club.
Rangers will advance to qualifying for the Europa League if they win the Scottish Cup final against Hibernian on Saturday, which would also complete a trophy treble for a club which has already won the Championship title and the Petrofac Training Cup.
Warburton admits winning the Scottish Cup would be a "bonus" after the team achieved their main aim this season of promotion to the Premiership, but acknowledges the benefit being able to offer European football will have to his transfer plans.
"This has to be a bonus - the focus for us was always the league this season," he said. "We had to win the league and win it in style, and we delivered.
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"The boys' work ethic was outstanding and the cups have been bonuses for us. To win the semi-final gave us great belief and we want to get the job done now.
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"The winners on Saturday will have that access to Europe and there's no doubt that will help us - we need our potential players to buy into the bigger picture, but there's no doubt European football is an incentive."
Warburton has held talks with Burnley midfielder Joey Barton, but admits he faces some competition if he is to tempt the 33-year-old to Ibrox.
"Joey came up to Glasgow last weekend and we got to spend some quality time with him," he said. "Players of that quality have many suitors and it's a big decision for any player to move up to Scotland so he wants to take his time and quite rightly. If not, we move on."
