Union Berlin defender Danilho Doekhi is now being lined up for a transfer to one of Europe’s top clubs only one year on from when he almost joined Rangers.
The 24-year-old centre-back has been a revelation in the Bundesliga ever since the big Dutch defender joined the Germans from Eredivisie side Vitesse Arnhem in the summer.
Signed on a free after his contract expired in Holland, the deal will go down as one of the summer’s best transfers and Rangers fans have been lamenting losing out on Danilho Doekhi ever since.
Union Berlin are 3rd in the German top flight table, heading for the Champions League, and are not out of the title race just yet with only five points separating them and leaders Dortmund.
The club also reached the Last 16 of the Europa League, where they were knocked out by USG, and Danilho Doekhi has previously grabbed the headlines for his goalscoring exploits.
Rangers-linked Danilho Doekhi attracting top interest
Rangers were extensively linked to the player in the final year of his Vitesse contract, with Dutch manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst hoping to convince him to join the Gers in the summer.
With Vitesse wanting a reported £2m in the January, Rangers gambled on the player amid reported interest from Napoli and Union Berlin and eventually lost out.
Outgoing sporting director Ross Wilson also claimed that the Gers were close to signing a Dutch player in the summer, with either Danilho Doekhi or PSV-bound Xavi Simons the only real options.
It’s been a harsh lesson for Rangers who are now seeing the defender go on to become one of Europe’s most highly-rated and sought after.
Speaking to Sempre Inter, Doekhi’s agent Seraino Dalgliesh is claiming that Napoli, Inter and clubs from the Premier League are monitoring the player ahead of the summer.
“Danilho has two years left on his contract and I can’t reveal any other details about his contract,” said Dalgliesh.
“But it is true that Inter and Napoli just like other top clubs in Europe, including in the Bundesliga and the Premier League, are all looking at him.
“This is not a surprise because there are no other center backs in Europe who score this amount of goals in combination with his defensive pedigree.
“But there are no negotiations going on right now. Danilho is focused on his season with FC Union Berlin and qualifying for the Champions League next season.”
