On Danny Wilson

Update: And basically done, from Rangers' official site.

In the last two days, following the incredibly depressing sale of Insua, we've seen Joe Cole sign, Gerrard commit to the club, and now the Danny Wilson transfer finally near completion (news broken by Robbo Huyton of Well Red and confirmed by the Telegraph's Rory Smith – yes, Twitter links, but Twitter links from those two equal confirmation in my book). After all the doom and gloom, it's incredibly strange to see so much good news in so short a period of time. London buses and all.

Wilson's 18, so although he's Scottish, he'd count as a senior homegrown player by the time he's 21. It's why the deal needed to get done this summer, no matter the manager, if it was to be done at all. I can't remember seeing his name mentioned since Benitez was sacked, and it's incredibly heart-warming to have business finally done the right way, outside of the back pages. For a change.

He's a 6'1" left-footed center-back who did excellently for Rangers last season, far above what was expected of him – including in the Champions League, where he became the youngest player to turn out for Rangers in the competition. He was the Scottish PFA and FWA Young Player of the Year, and already has a league, cup, and league cup winners' medal thanks to Rangers' recent dominance.

With Carragher, Agger, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Kelly, and Ayala currently around, he's one for the future, but at least we're able to think optimistically about the future for a change. The signing may give credence to the Ayala and Kyrgiakos departure rumors, but Liverpool would still have depth at center-back even if both of those moves took place (although neither would fill me with glee). Maybe Wilson will be loaned out, but I doubt he's coming – for a rumored £2m potentially rising to £5m – for a year of reserve football, and regardless, it's great news. That it's for the future, not just solely short-term thinking, actually makes me more excited than I was for Joe Cole yesterday.

As Dalglish was supposedly the one most involved with scouting the player, I hope it's a sign King Kenny's still in the fold. Let's hold off on the comparisons to Alan Hansen, which seem based solely on nationality, but as I wrote when the deal was first mooted back in May, Liverpool's never won a league title without a Scot in the squad.

I know everyone's sick of Captain Buzzkill, and everyone should truly be happier because of the last 48 hours, but we cannot lose sight of the bigger picture. Owners, Purslow, debt, lies, etc. I'm as sick of writing it as you are of reading it. The feeling that another shoe has to drop still lurks in the back of my insanely pessimistic mind. But it's nice to bask in the warm, glowing warming glow of good news for a change.

Of course, it begs the unavoidable question: can he play left-back?