French outlet RMC Sport, claims that Rangers are still ‘in contact’ with Claudio Marchisio.
Italian journalist Nicolo Schira linked the two parties earlier in the week but claimed that the 55-cap Italian international had turned down the chance to move to Ibrox.
Following that, Sportsmediaset claimed the midfielder had reached an ‘agreement’ to join struggling Ligue 1 side, AS Monaco.
Report suggests Rangers could still sign midfield maestro
However, while RMC Sport acknowledges positive discussions between Marchisio and Monaco, it’s suggested the deal isn’t finalised and that Rangers and Brazilian club Flamengo are still in the hunt.
There’s no major rush with any prospective deal, either. The transfer window may be shut, but as the 33-year-old is a free agent after being released by Zenit St Petersburg earlier this summer, there are no restrictions on when he can and cannot sign for a new club.
Verdict
When the initial link to Rangers was provided by Schira, we filed the rumour away as vaguely plausible, but highly improbable.
While no longer at his best, Marchisio is a top-quality midfielder who has been there and done that. He has 15 major club titles on his CV, as well as a Euro 2012 runners-up medal.
Rangers can offer him a packed Ibrox every other week, a title race and European football. Yet, it remains tough to see him pulling on the boots and playing at the likes of the Tony Macaroni Arena.
Moving to Brazil to join Flamengo would seem a similarly strange step.
Despite their poor start to the season, though, Monaco looks a good fit.
Ligue 1 is clearly a better standard than the Scottish Premiership, without being as frantic as the likes of the Premier League. A move there offers glamorous surroundings and after all, they did win the league title as recently as 2017.
For now, the Gers apparently remain interested, but with the French heavyweights also in the hunt, it remains very unlikely we’ll see this Italian maestro at Ibrox.