We don’t blame you if you’re suffering from a bit of deja vu. There are obvious similarities, after all, between the transfer saga which followed Rangers around during the winter window and the one which has emerged over the last few weeks.
A full-back potentially on his way out of Ibrox and towards the Turkish Super Lig?
We’ve heard this before, Ridvan Yilmaz reportedly coming close to joining Galatasaray a few months ago before Rangers’ aborted pursuit of a replacement – from Owen Beck to Jefte Vital – encouraged them to keep hold of a player who is doing his level best now to suggest he could yet be a big part of Philippe Clement’s plans going forward.
If Yilmaz is the future, however, then Borna Barisic looks increasingly like a man who’s best days lie in the past.
The long-serving Croatian will be a free-agent in July. And the clamour for him to put pen to paper on fresh terms has diminished considerably since 2023 crossed over into 2024, Barisic losing his place to Yilmaz and then struggling at both ends of the pitch during the rare times he has been included in Clement’s XI.
Rangers could let Borna Barisic leave this summer
While Galatasaray eventually missed out on Yilmaz, there is an expectation that Super Lig rivals Trabzonspor will not suffer similar disappointment in pursuit of Barisic. It was reported earlier this month that a change in Super Lig rules surrounding the number of foreign players at each club had interrupted negotiations.
Yunus Emre Sel, a local journalist speaking to A Spor, however feels that any issues have been exaggerated with Barisic’s arrival set to become official sooner rather than later.
“Barisic is currently signing an agreement with Trabzonspor,” Sel explains, with the 2022 league champions also reportedly on the trail of John Lundstram.
“(The deal) is in the process of being officially (announced). There are no signatures. But there is ‘a button’ in front of the transfer.
“There is no obstacle (in Trabzonspor’s) way, for now.”
Glasgow giants could move for Jefte Vital again
Assuming Yilmaz is set to stay beyond the summer and Clement does not see Dujon Sterling as a long-term option on the flank, Rangers will find themselves in the market for a new left-sided full-back. The Gers feel likely to re-ignite their interest in Jefte, having agreed terms with Fluminense in January before the Brazilian was forced to stay – somewhat against his will – on loan at APOEL Nicosia.
Gijs Smal, the Eredivisie’s top assist provider in 2023/24, looks set to join reigning Dutch champions Feyenoord, however, when his FC Twente deal expires.
“I assume (he will leave), because we cannot reach an agreement with him,” Jan Streuer, the former technical director who now works as an advisor at Twente, tells ESPN.
“At Twente, we know what we can pay. If that is too much, you have to say no,” Streuer adds, insisting that it is ’99 per cent’ certain at this stage that Smal will be on his way out of the Stadion Galgenwaard.
