While there is always a tendency to let greed rule on deadline day – even the most sensible supporters dreaming of a last-minute marquee deal – Rangers can be pretty happy in hindsight with a rather uneventful Monday.
Jefte stays at Ibrox despite interest from Chelsea. Cyriel Dessers will now have the chance to maintain his recent Rangers resurgence as alleged moves to Italy, France or Spain failed to materialise.
Rangers retained the services of Ridvan Yilmaz too, despite speculation from Turkey suggesting – wrongly, it seems – that the full-back had his heart set on a return to Besiktas.
And, to top it all off, Rangers secured the signature of Dundee midfielder Lyall Cameron on a pre-contract arrangement. Key players staying, one of the most exciting young talents in Scotland arriving albeit in the summer; It might not have been a deadline day flush with activity and eye-popping moves, but a sensible, successful one for a club looking to build a squad capable of launching a more coherent challenge to Celtic’s throne in 2025/26.
As for Aaron Anselmino, well, a deadline day deal of his own for the Ibrox-linked central defender ended up falling through. Much to the frustration of the club who, after Rangers were credited with an interest in the Chelsea youngster, looked destined to secure his signature.
Rangers target Aaron Anselmino stuck at Chelsea after Marseille drama
According to reports, Marseille had ‘virtually agreed’ a deal for the £15 million former Boca Juniors starlet. A deal that would collapse in the final few hours of the window.
The reason was allegedly that Chelsea simply had too many players out on loan. Joao Felix, Axel Disasi, Caleb Wiley, Ben Chilwell and the formerly Rangers-linked Carney Chukwuemeka all departed Stamford Bridge on temporary deals on Monday.
An excuse that does not sit well with a furious Marseille president.
“We are in a different industry. Chelsea, I don’t like it. It’s a criticism that I make openly,” Pablo Longoria fumes. “Chelsea have freed up a loan position like with Caleb Wiley, who left for Watford.
“The excuse [for Anselmino not moving to Marseille] there is no loan slot [left]. That’s not it. We had made an offer. The thing that I regret is the lack of transparency between the clubs.”
Bamo Meite joins Montpellier after Rangers links
Anselmino is stuck in West London, then, until the summer.
Maybe it’s for the best that Rangers appeared to exit the race in the build up to Monday’s deadline. Thus, saving themselves the sort of drama Marseille found themselves dragged into.
The French giants had put all their eggs into the Argentine’s basket with a new central defender required. As Chelsea pulled the plug, that left Marseille with no time to find an alternative. No wonder Longoria is so frustrated.
L’OM are actually even worse off defensively now than they were at the start of the window.
Marseille misfit Bamo Meite was reportedly a Rangers target before Rafael Fernandes arrived at Ibrox from Ligue 1 rivals LOSC Lille. Meite eventually swapped the Stade Velodrome for Montpellier, perhaps in the expectation that Anselmino would arrive to take his place.
