- EXCLUSIVE with Graeme Bailey
Pyramids FC winger Ibrahim Adel is closing in on a move to Europe amid links to Rangers.
The Egyptian Olympic attacker, 23, has been the subject of intense transfer reporting this week with several clubs reportedly eyeing the forward before the window slams shut.
There have been conflicting reports surrounding a Rangers bid for Adel but the Ibrox side are not the only team who’ve been credited with an interest.
Pyramids FC dropped Adel for a crunch Egypt Cup semi-final tie this week giving rise to speculation over the player’s future.
And now Ibrahim Adel is set to complete a move from North Africa to Europe, but it looks like Rangers fans are going to be disappointed.
Rangers-linked Ibrahim Adel ‘agrees deal’ in Europe
Sources close to Rangers News have exclusively confirmed that Ibrahim Adel is preparing to leave Egypt this week as the summer transfer deadline approaches.
But Rangers News understands the winger is bound for sunny Spain and not Scotland as he takes his first steps into European football.
Big things are expected of Ibrahim Adel with the Egyptian winger’s attacking flair earning him instant comparisons to Liverpool icon Mohamed Salah.
Rangers have rebuffed reports that they had a bid for Adel turned down earlier in the week but did suggest that the attacker is someone the club is ‘aware’ of.
But with Pyramids reportedly demanding up to £5m for Adel, those Rangers links looked increasingly ambitious in the wake of the Gers’ costly exit from the Champions League.
Now an unnamed La Liga side are set to win the race to sign Ibrahim Adel before the transfer window slams shut.
With sources insisting a deal has already been struck in Spain, La Liga side Getafe were linked alongside Premier League duo Ipswich Town and Leicester City this week and are believed to be the likely destination.
The switch to Spain comes after an impressive Olympics performance by Ibrahim Adel, who netted both goals for Egypt in a 2-1 group stage win over Spain in France.
The creative forward scored three goals in total at Egypt finished fourth at the tournament, narrowly missing out on a bronze medal.
Rangers transfer attentions shift to other targets
The situation with Ibrahim Adel means Rangers will quickly have to move on to other transfer targets.
The left-wing area is one of pressing concern at Rangers with Philippe Clement looking to bolster his wide options after missing out on Brighton’s Abdallah Sima.
It remains unclear which options are on Rangers’ transfer list with a number of unconfirmed names doing the rounds on social media and online forums.
Rangers are targeting players in four key areas with the club working hard to free up high salaries from the Gers’ bloated wage bill.
Ben Davies has been shipped off to Birmingham City on loan, with right-winger Scott Wright set to join him at St Andrews in the coming says.
A fee has reportedly been agreed between Rangers and Blackburn Rovers with regards Todd Cantwell as the midfielder heads to Ewood Park to discuss personal terms.
The situation with Ianis Hagi remains a bugbear to the Rangers hierarchy, with the Romanian midfielder struggling to find a suitable transfer solution so far this summer.
