Ligue 1 club Marseille have moved for Atalanta midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi in an apparent boost amid Rangers’ long-term pursuit of Standard Liege star Nicolas Raskin.
The French club have announced the signing of the 51-times capped Ukrainian star on loan until the end of the season with reports suggesting Marseille will pay €10m (£8.8m) to sign Malinovskyi at the end of the campaign.
Whilst Ruslan Malinovskyi has nothing to do with Rangers, fans will have one eye on Marseille links to Belgian U21 international Nicolas Raskin in the wake of the move.
The French giants have been mentioned as potential suitors for the Standard star alongside Phillipe Montanier-led Toulouse, with reports in Scotland claiming the player was Ligue 1 bound.
However, this notion appears to have taken a dent amid the Marseille deal for Ruslan Malinovskyi with it unclear if the French side retain their earlier interest in the player.
Marseille sign Ruslan Malinovskyi amid Rangers Nicolas Raskin links
Standard Liege have banished Nicolas Raskin to the reserves amid a high-profile contract stand-off between both parties and there’s a suggestion the Belgians want the player to move on this month.
Rangers boss Michael Beale also set the cat amongst the pigeons at Ibrox by suggesting the club were set to make a new signing from the continent.
“We would like to have new faces in the building,” said Beale [Rangers].
“I want to add competition. That’s really what I want to add. It will add competition. The training level has gone up every week since I have been here.
“I think one or two players maybe coming in from Premier League clubs or clubs around Europe with a real good profile that will certainly help us. I want to turn the dial up in the building.”
The future of Ruslan Malinovskyi has been settled but so long as Nicolas Raskin remains out of contract Rangers and Marseille fans will have one eye on developments in Belgium.
Meanwhile, one moment of brilliance proves that a leading Ibrox star is really back from the brink at the club.
