Rangers fans have been following the situation of Ferencvaros’s Malian international winger Adama Traore closely this summer.
In the early part of pre-season, Rangers were extensively linked to a £3.5m move for Traore which for the time being appears to have stalled.
With Rangers needing to ship players out before they can bring anyone in, Adama Traore is staying put.
Traore links to Fenerbahce have also come and gone with the 29-year-old winger now back at Ferencvaros training ahead of the new season.
But whilst the winger’s club future remains up in the air, Adama Traore finds himself at the centre of a storm enveloping the Mali international team.
Traore part of Mali ‘rebellion’
The situation revolves around Mali captain Hamari Traore who – as reported by Modern Ghana – was suspended a few weeks ago for ‘inciting a rebellion’ amongst the nation’s players.
This specifically involved the Real Sociedad defender demanding better conditions, better management and more professionalism in the international set-up.
In a quite remarkable retort, the Malian FA then suspended the 32-year-old for ‘lacking honour and dignity’ and ‘incitement and rebellion against the national team and Malian football’.
After Mali – who sacked manager Eric Sekou Chelle last month – followed through on this by not including Hamari Traore in their national squad, it’s let to a team wide boycott.
Rangers-linked Adama Traore took to Instagram to lend his support to the Mali captain as the nation’s players demand better treatment.
It’s led to the winger and several of his teammates removing themselves from the international football selection for an indefinite period.
“On behalf of the players of the national team, we indicate that all our previous decisions were made jointly, not by Hamari Traoré alone,” reads Adama Traore’s statement.
“With this in mind, we inform the association that we will cancel the national team until the ban is lifted.”
Rangers need to fund winger transfer
It’s good to see Adama Traore standing up for his teammates and it’s exactly the kind of fighting spirit Rangers could use at Ibrox.
The Malian international has played 56 times for his country, scoring nine goals so the winger is clearly an influential player in the country’s set up.
Traore is also not a bad player at club level either and, despite suffering injuries last season, netted an impressive 14 goals in 25 games in Hungary.
With Traore also something of a Champions League qualification specialist, the attacker boasts solid pedigree and Rangers fans have one eye on his situation.
For the time being however, nothing is likely to happen until Rangers shift the likes of Sam Lammers out of the club.
