RANGERS were last night locked in signing talks with Joey Barton.

The sensational move came as Mark Warburton stepped up his efforts to assemble a side capable of challenging Celtic for the Premiership title next season.

The 33-year-old Burnley midfielder was shown round both Ibrox Stadium and Murray Park yesterday.

And following his talks with coaching staff and club officials, it is understood the Light Blues are optimistic of landing their target on a two-year deal.

If so, he will follow in the footsteps of Liverpool midfielder Jordan Rossiter and Accrington Stanley pair Josh Windass and Matt Crooks in signing up for next season’s return to the top flight.

There are understood to be more moves afoot, with Hibs star striker Jason Cummings and Graham Dorrans of Norwich City both believed to be Ibrox bound.

Approaching the end of his one-year deal with the Clarets, Barton, an often controversial figure throughout his career, is available to move for nothing as a free agent.

The Championship title winners want him to stay on for their return to the English Premier and have offered him a 12-month contract.

He, however, sees that as too short at this stage of his career and has therefore held off on signing – a pause which alerted Rangers, in particular their head of recruitment, Frank McParland.

He brought the former Manchester City, Newcastle, QPR and Marseille player to Burnley when he was working as their sporting director.

The two men have remained close and it is that association which Rangers hope will now pay off as Barton decides whether to take what would almost certainly be a substantial drop in salary in exchange for the chance to embark on a footballing adventure.

A colourful character not afraid to express himself in the media, social or otherwise, he would represent a departure from the model Mark Warburton has been following of signing young gifted players who can add value. Men, in fact, exactly like Rossiter.

He does, however, tick all the boxes in terms of the experienced midfield campaigner the Rangers manager says he is after.

“I think it is important to add some experience, some maturity and some physicality as well,” said Warburton.

“There are not many out there, but we are getting closer and fingers crossed we can nail one down sometime soon.

“We are close on a couple more. The work is being done now and hopefully we can nail them down in the next 10 to 12 days.

“I want as many as possible in place when we come back on June 18.”

The £250,000 signing of Rossiter was tied up on Friday night and Warburton was delighted about the capture of a player he believes will help on the pitch in the short term and, eventually, earn the club several millions in a transfer fee back south of the Border.

“It’s a really big coup for us,” he said.

“Jordan is a young internationalist, a talented boy with a big future ahead of him in the game. So for us to get him speaks volumes of the work of Frank McParland, who knows him so well.

“A lot of work went into that type of signing and there was commitment from Jordan, who had lot of other offers.

“I’m sure that he understands Rangers and I’m delighted to have him on board. He’s technically gifted, he has the heart the size of a lion, he’s tenacious and athletically very good.

“He’s pitch aware – his pitch geography is very good – and he’s the captain of the Liverpool under-19 team.

“There were a number of clubs chasing him but I’m sure they were wary of tribunals so we have maximised that situation and all credit to Frank for spotting an opportunity and moving swiftly.”

If Barton follows suit, the head of recruitment will be able to congratulate himself on a more than impressive start to his summer duties.

The controversial life and crimes of bad boy Barton

JOEY BARTON hasn’t shied away from controversy over the years. As the midfielder prepares to take the plunge into the Old Firm cauldron, we look at a time-line of his bad boy past.

February 2004: Red-carded for the first time in Manchester City’s FA Cup tie at Tottenham for two bookable offences.

April 2004: Storms out of Eastlands before kick-off after being axed from team.

July 2004: Criticised by City manager Kevin Keegan for causing mass brawl in a pre-season friendly.

December 2004: Stubs lit cigar in the eye of young team-mate Jamie Tandy during City’s Christmas party. Fined six weeks’ wages by the club. Tandy later sued Barton, winning £65,000 in damages.

July 2005: Involved in altercation with a 15-year-old Everton fan at City’s team hotel in Bangkok during a pre-season tour. Fined eight weeks’ wages by City after being found guilty of gross misconduct.

September 2006: Drops his shorts in the direction of Everton fans following City’s 1-1 draw at Goodison Park.

December 2006: Shown second red card of career for a two-footed lunge on Bolton’s Abdoulaye Faye.

May 2007: Suspended by City after training-ground altercation with Ousmane Dabo, which leaves his team-mate needing hospital treatment. Charged with

assault and later receives a four-month suspended jail sentence. Also punished by FA with a 12-match ban and a £25,000 fine.

December 2007: Arrested in Liverpool city centre after a late-night incident. Later jailed for six months after admitting common assault and affray.

November 2010: Punches Blackburn winger Morten Gamst Pedersen during a 2-1 defeat for Newcastle at St James’ Park. Accepts an FA charge and is banned for three games.

August 2011: Newcastle transfer-list Barton after a series of Twitter comments criticising the club.

January 2012: Scores but is then sent off as QPR lose 2-1 at home to Norwich in the Premier League.

May 2012: Sent off for elbowing Carlos Tevez on the final day of the season at Manchester City. Knees Sergio Aguero, sending the striker to the ground, and attempts to headbutt Vincent Kompany before being ushered off the Etihad pitch. Banned for 12 matches, fined £75,000 and stripped of the QPR captaincy.

June 2012: Punched in the face after being involved in an altercation with two men outside a nightclub in Liverpool city centre.

February 2015: Receives the ninth red card of his career against Hull City after swinging at Tom Huddlestone.

August 2015: Deal to sign for West Ham collapses, reportedly after the Premier League side listen to protests from Hammers’ fans at the prospect of him signing.

Alan Brazil’s verdict

JOEY BARTON will be taking a massive step down if he signs for Rangers.

But at his age, the Gers – and the Scottish Premiership – could be a perfect fit for him.

With the best will in the world, I reckon Barton would struggle to shine in the Premier League these days. He’s 33-years-old, let’s not forget.

But he has been playing at a good level in the Championship for a long while now, and by all accounts this season has been his best in years.

There’s no doubt in my mind that he could do a job for Rangers.

In fact, if Mark Warburton manages to sign the guy, I’d even say it would be something of a coup.

For a guy who has just played a key role in winning the Championship with Burnley, the Scottish Premiership will be a relative walk in the park.

Barton would be a real standout – I really believe that.

And I don’t say that to disrespect Scottish football.

I say it because he’s a decent player and the schedule, which is much more relaxed than he’s been used to, would suit him.

I wouldn’t have any concerns at all about his fitness or his ability.

The thorny issue, as ever, is has he screwed the nut?

That’s a question I guarantee Mark Warburton will have to answer sooner rather than later.

But while it sounds like a harsh judgement, I don’t think it is.

The facts speak for themselves. When was the last time Joey got himself in any serious bother?

Nothing springs immediately to mind for me, so I think you have to give him the benefit of the doubt.

You also have to give credit to the Rangers manager and his assistant Davie Weir.

They are both meticulous guys and there is absolutely no way they would have proceeded down this road without doing their homework first.

They will have been on the phone to Sean Dyche at Burnley, to the staff at his last club, QPR, getting all the reports they can get their hands on.

If they are being told that Joey is fine – and I think he is these days – then they have to trust that information.

As a result, Rangers fans have to trust them.

The bottom line is that Barton would be a great addition to the Rangers squad for next season’s Premiership push.

It would then be up to Celtic – and the rest of the division – to respond.

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Rangers in talks with Burnley midfielder Joey Barton about potential summer move