Rangers and their multi-million-pound summer transfer plans have been rocked by a major curveball following an abrupt executive breakdown at Hull City.
The newly promoted Premier League outfit sent shockwaves through their fanbase this afternoon by releasing an immediate statement confirming they have parted company with sporting director Jared Dublin.
The structural crisis at the MKM Stadium comes just days after the Tigers announced a high-profile deal to sign veteran goalkeeper Jack Butland from Ibrox.
However, Dublin’s sudden exit carries massive ramifications for Rangers, as Hull City are currently the only club to have tabled a concrete, formal opening offer for Nicolas Raskin.
How will you remember Jack Butland for his time as the Rangers number one?
Nicolas Raskin’s Premier League transfer left in limbo
Hull City tested the waters at Rangers last month with an opening bid in the region of £12-14million as they look to build a squad capable of surviving in the Premier League.
While the sum was quickly deemed insufficient, with Ibrox chiefs holding out for a premium evaluation north of £20m, lines of communication may have remained open.
Dublin was the architectural driving force behind Hull’s recruitment policy under ambitious owner Acun Ilicali.
With the American chief now completely out of the picture following a severe contract dispute regarding his salary demands, it remains to be seen if the Tigers will drop their interest in Raskin entirely or if a successor will revive the file.
Contract greed forced Ilicali’s hand as Rangers await
According to Hull Live, Dublin’s exit was triggered by an internal breakdown over financial terms following the club’s dramatic playoff final promotion at Wembley.
Ilicali had reportedly offered the sporting director a massive wage increase alongside highly lucrative safety bonuses if the club survive in the Premier League this season.
However, Dublin knocked back the proposal, demanding an excessive package that the Turkish owner begrudgingly felt was too high, even by elite English top-flight standards.
Nicolas Raskin has been linked with a Rangers exit…
Hull are moving quickly to ensure their summer player trading is not completely derailed, with former Fenerbahce coordinator Okan Ozkan already lined up to take the reins within the next 48 hours.
For Rangers, the boardroom chaos leaves them in a stressful waiting game.
Manager Derek McInnes would be keen to generate major trading profit to fund his own squad transformation, with Bologna’s Lewis Ferguson eyed in an ambitious swoop.
However, with Raskin’s primary suitor losing their main transfer architect, the £20m puzzle has suddenly become significantly more complicated.
