Rangers striker Martyn Waghorn believes Joey Barton deserves clean slate

Gers have this week been linked with moves for the 33-year-old Burnley midfielder and his former QPR team-mate Niko Kranjcar.

Light Blues boss Mark Warburton is ready to offer the former Manchester City, Newcastle and Marseille battler the long-term security he is looking for, with a three-year deal on the table.

Barton is no stranger to controversy, having twice been convicted by the courts of acts of violence on top of numerous run-ins with the football authorities.

Warburton has already ruled out signing anyone who will threaten the close-knit team spirit he has has built at Ibrox, but Waghorn is refusing to judge Barton on his past.

He said: “You don’t know [how Joey will fit in] until he actually comes. You can’t judge somebody from what they have done in the past - you can only see what they are like when they are here in person.

“Joey is a character, he’s known for winding people up and getting under their skin - but that’s only out on the pitch.

“Yeah he’s had trouble in the past and has lots of things to say, but so does everyone, and you’ve just got to get on with it.”

However, ex-Sunderland and Leicester frontman Waghorn believes Gers have made a major statement of intent with their moves for the one-cap England midfielder and Croation international Kranjcar, now at New York Cosmos.

“They have shown over the years what they can do in the Premiership down south,” Waghorn added.

“They have a huge amount of experience and for us as a club to be looking at players like that is only a positive.”