Rangers couldn't match Hamburg's Bates offer, says Murty

Graeme Murty admits Rangers were unable to match the offer Hamburg made to defender David Bates.

The 21-year-old left the Ibrox faithful stunned on Thursday when it was announced he had agreed a four-year deal to join the Bundesliga side this summer.

Gers had been hoping to reward the former Raith Rovers centre-back with a new contract following a string of solid displays put in before he suffered an ankle injury in last month's defeat to Celtic.

According to reports, however, Light Blues chiefs were unwilling to meet his #7,500-a-week wage demands - figures which have since been disputed by Bates' agent Grant Smith.

Murty, though, claims Ibrox chiefs simply could not offer what the Germans had put on the table.

"We were in negotiations with David and wanted him to stay - but Hamburg have come along and made an offer we can't match,'' he said.

"David has thought about his career and decided to take them up on that offer.

"That is the reality of the situation. We're disappointed as we've obviously invested time and energy in David. We've played him, helped his development but he has decided to go elsewhere. That's his prerogative and we can't at this stage stand in his way.

"We've spoken to David all the way through. He knows my thoughts on the situation and on him as a person. He knows my thoughts on where he needs to develop and get better.

"We are in a good moment in terms of his development. We've worked really hard with him and really aided him - but he's chosen to go elsewhere.

"Nothing really surprises me in football any more. This is just one of those things that happens. Unfortunately this is the modern football world.''

However, Murty rejected the suggestion that Bates' decision to sign a pre-contract with a side facing relegation from Germany's top flight was proof Ibrox no longer holds the appeal it once did.

"Not at all,'' he said. "But it's up to us to go out and recruit aggressively and improve the squad from where we were.

"There are targets already in mind.''

Team-mate Russell Martin admits he will be sad to see Bates go - but believes his Hamburg switch could help his international ambitions.

"I'm going to ring his agent and ask for some commission,'' joked the 29-time capped Scotland defender. I hope he has enjoyed playing beside me as he's always asking questions.

"We built up a good relationship pretty quickly. As a person I hold him in extremely high regard, especially with his attitude in terms of wanting to learn.

"I said to him today his move is brave. I think it'll be brilliant for him. He'll get coached over there and will improve a lot.

"I had a good chat with him and know he's desperate to get in the Scotland squad. He feels he was getting close before his injury.

"He's got areas he needs to work on but this move can definitely help him make that step up.'

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