Rangers appear to be gearing up for quite the transfer window.
The Ibrox side could bring in as many as 12 names this summer with several high profile players also set to move on from the famous Glasgow club.
Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen have a clear mandate to bring in young, hungry players who can develop at Rangers, bank the club a fortune but – and most importantly – get a league title over the line.
With almost every target to date appearing to fit the player trading mould, now Rangers have been linked to a ‘phenomenon’ who is turning heads at the biggest clubs across Europe.
Rangers face Sidibe transfer battle
This is not the first time Rangers have been linked to Sol Sidibe.
Only a few weeks ago were Rangers being mentioned as suitors for the 17-year-old Stoke City midfielder, who has an impressive breakthrough season at the Britannia.
The son of former Malian Potters striker Mamady Sidibe, the teenager made eight appearances for the Stoke first-team last season including four in the English Championship.
Now, French outlet Foot Mercato have once again linked Rangers to Sol Sidibe and it’s clear that the Gers face substantial competition to get a deal over the line.
Branding the midfielder a ‘phenomenon’, the report claims that Premier League Chelsea are also interested alongside Serie A giants Juventus and Ligue 1 club AS Monaco.
An England U18s international who is contracted to Stoke until 2026, Sidibe could well have some big decisions to make this transfer window even if the Potters hold the aces.
All change in Ibrox academy
Sol Sidibe has had minimal exposure to the Stoke City first-team and whilst the kid certainly looks a talent, one suspects Rangers might have the next few years in mind with such a signing.
That said, Rangers manager Philippe Clement has been clear that the club need to start bleeding youngsters better if they’re to have player trading success.
There’s a sentiment that the Rangers Academy has not produced enough young talent – Nathan Patterson aside – which can bank the club big money in sales.
With the likes of Ross McCausland making a proper breakthrough into the first-team this season, there are hopes the likes of Robbie Fraser, Bailey Rice and Zak Lovelace can follow in his footsteps over the next 12 months.
But for every development success story, there are two which have not exactly gone to plan.
Leon King has found minutes increasingly hard to come by after a traumatic Champions League introduction to the first-team.
Alex Lowry’s bright introduction to the Rangers team has been fraught with injury issues whilst Adam Devine is out on loan at Motherwell.
