Rangers’ transfer window is well and truly underway, but they’ve made no signings so far – and fans will be expecting that to change.
Boss Philippe Clement has turned their season around, hoisting them back into the Scottish Premiership, winning the Viaplay Cup and progressing to the last 16 of the Europa League, but in his first full transfer window he will be wanting new signings to help his push for a potential domestic treble and European trophies. What Rangers won’t be doing is signing Josh Doig. Links were abound earlier in the window suggesting that the Scottish full-back would be leaving Hellas Verona for Ibrox, with Verona themselves trying to snag Ridvan Yilmaz from the Gers on a loan deal.
Updates have now suggested that Yilmaz is on his way to Italy in a £3million deal, which has left the door open for Doig’s exit – and given Borna Barisic is now set to be offered a new deal at the club, there is space for a full-back to properly challenge the Croatian, something Yilmaz has failed to do in the last 18 months. But according to Fabrizio Romano, Doig is now set for a move to Marseille in a £4.3million deal – and the transfer guru claims that Rangers were never in the race for his signature.
Elsewhere on the pitch, Lawrence Shankland’s potential move to Ibrox looks to be a losing battle. Reports this week have suggested that Hearts will be offering Shankland a new contract to fend off any interest from Govan and other English suitors; with Cyriel Dessers still having the jury out on his signing, Danilo and Kemar Roofe suffering from injury woes and Sam Lammers being loaned out after a horror spell, there is a space in the attacking department.
Shankland is the Scottish Premiership top goalscorer at present, and his performances for the Jambos are alien to no-one in the top-flight. But whether he agrees a new contract or not will be key to Rangers’ search – especially as they would likely be able to pick him up for a lesser fee in the summer with just 18 months left on his current deal.
Outside of Europe, Rangers have been linked with a move for Oscar Zambrano. The Ecuadorian midfielder currently features for homeland side LDU Quito and has been linked with Bournemouth in the current window – with a potential loan move to Hibs flaunted due to the Cherries’ relationship with the capital side. But reports have stated that Rangers and Celtic have been linked with Zambrano as a move to the Premier League is stalling over signing-on fees.
