Most Rangers fans might not know much about Mohamed Diomande, but ex-Ibrox winger and Fenerbahce star Ryan Kent certainly does.
Rangers are reportedly closing on a deal worth around £4.5m to sign the 22-year-old Ivorian midfielder from FC Nordsjælland in Denmark.
It’s an exciting deal for one of the most promising graduates from the Right to Dream Academy in Ghana as the club look to step up their player trading model.
But as Ibrox fans everywhere scramble to find out as much as they can about Mohamed Diomande, Ryan Kent’s experience with the midfielder is probably still giving the shelved Fenerbahce attacker nightmares.
Ryan Kent faced Rangers-bound star with Fenerbahce
Ryan Kent was hooked as Danish side Nordsjælland humbled Turkish giants Fenerbahce 6-1 in the Europa Conference League earlier in the season.
Mohamed Diomande played the first 45 minutes of the game and registered an assist for Daniel Svensson in the first half, Nordsjælland racing into a 2-0 half-time lead after Lucas Hey opened the scoring.
The second half saw a stunning Danish blitz with Benjamin Nygren – coincidentally the man who replaced Mohamed Diomande – netting a second half hattrick.
With Christian Rasmussen scoring the other second half goal, interestingly Rangers-linked Michy Batshuayi scored what proved a consolation for Fenerbahce.
Whilst Mohamed Diomande only played 45 minutes, the encounter could prove Ryan Kent’s last match for Fenerbahce as exit reports swirl around the former Rangers winger.
Since the clash on 30th November, Kent is yet to play for Fenerbahce again.
Mohamed Diomande looks Ibrox bound
Now, as Mohamed Diomande takes a bold step towards Rangers, Fenerbahce’s Ryan Kent might be looking on with envy.
The former Gers winger was a fan favourite during a five year stint in Glasgow but left the club under a cloud of negativity after a downturn in form and returns.
The move to Turkey – rather predictably – hasn’t exactly turned out as planned and now an exit seemingly beckons.
A move to Hull City looked to be on but amid claims of attitude issues the winger’s future continues to be up in the air.
Now the 27-year-old faces an uncertain week before the January transfer window closes and Rangers fans will have one eye on where Kent winds up.
But more pertinently for Rangers, it’s the arrival of Mohamed Diomande which is of substantially more interest to the Glasgow outfit.
