Ridvan Yilmaz could potentially miss out on a move to Serie A with the £3.5 million Rangers left-back an option for a Hellas Verona side set to lose Josh Doig to Sassuolo.
In the very same article which suggested that Rangers’ hopes of luring Josh Doig back to Scotland are destined to end in disappointment – Sassuolo closing in on an initial £5 million deal for the former Hibernian flyer – the future of the man he may have replaced at Ibrox was suddenly subject to even more uncertainty.
Ridvan Yilmaz had been identified by relegation-threatened Hellas Verona as Doig’s successor.
But, as Tuttomercatoweb explain, Hellas could now shift their focus to Ruben Vinagre instead. The former Everton and Wolves man is on loan at Hull City from Sporting Lisbon but is struggling for regular game-time in England’s second tier.
There is also interest in the one-time Celtic target Mitchel Bakker, now of Atalanta.
Ridvan Yilmaz’s Rangers exit has just got more complicated
TMW are keen to point out that the Yilmaz deal remains ‘alive’ at present. But it appears that the Turkey international is not so much Hellas Verona’s first-choice but instead one of a number of potential January additions.
“If there comes an offer that cannot be refused – or is a good thing for the club – then we need to discuss it,” Gers boss Philippe Clement said when asked about Yilmaz’s future after the 2-2 friendly draw with Copenhagen.
“At the moment, that is not the case. Ridvan is here, and he started the game.”
Clement was also at pains to make clear that, if Yilmaz does go, then a replacement will be sought. Rangers have been linked with, amongst others Bristol City’s Cameron Pring, FC Twente’s Gijs Smal and Fredrik Oppegard, out of favour at PSV Eindhoven.
Clement wants a replacemnt
“That is one position that we have two players. One is end of contract (Borna Barisic), the other one there is a lot of rumours around,” Clement says.
“So, it is clear that we need to be ready for that position. We cannot go on in three competitions with one left full-back.”
Yilmaz continues to be linked with a return to Turkey, 18 months on from his Besiktas departure. Reports indicate that, if Yilmaz is to join Galatasaray before the winter deadline, he would like to do so on a permanent basis, showing little interest in a short-term loan deal.
