The bidding war for Jens Hjerto-Dahl has escalated dramatically with Championship outfit Cardiff City placing a massive offer in excess of £7.8million to land the Tromso IL star ahead of Rangers.
According to a fresh report from Norwegian outlet iTromso, the Welsh club have made a decisive move to secure the 20-year-old midfielder’s signature.
The staggering proposal comfortably eclipses Rangers’ initial £5.3m attempt, leaving the Light Blues facing an immediate transfer crossroads.
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Cardiff hit Tromso price tag for Hjerto-Dahl
Tromso chief Lars Petter Andressen had previously insisted the Norwegian outfit would hold out for their expected valuation – thought to be around £8.5m – before letting star asset depart.
While Rangers held long-standing negotiations for the Norway Under-21 international, who openly admitted earlier that a move to Ibrox and playing in the Old Firm appealed to him over other European suitors like Besiktas, Cardiff’s financial backing has now tested Tromso’s resolve to the limit.
The £7.8m proposal moves Cardiff firmly into pole position in terms of club-to-club agreement, putting immense pressure on Andrew Cavenagh and Co. to either match the bid or walk away from the race.
Player preference v Rangers board dilemma
Hjerto-Dahl’s preference for European football and the scale of playing at Ibrox under Derek McInnes has been a consistent thread throughout the summer.
However, player preference only matters if Rangers can strike an agreement on a fee with the selling club.
With Rangers simultaneously finalising a £4.7m deal for FK Partizan captain Vanja Dragojevic, McInnes and the recruitment team must now weigh up whether stretching their budget for a second high-value midfielder is feasible.
It is highly unlikely the Govan club can afford a move for Hjerto-Dahl without a high-profile sale like Nicolas Raskin at this stage.
Rangers take on Saint-Etienne in their first public friendly of the summer on Wednesday…
Cammy Devlin and Ivor Pandur are in contention!
The editorial verdict
Cardiff City’s £7.8m move is a classic EFL Championship power play designed to bully competitors out of the market.
Rangers have held the player’s favour, but money talks in modern football.
Unless Rangers match Tromso’s valuation in the coming hours, Hjerto-Dahl may well find himself headed to Wales despite his desire to sample the Ibrox atmosphere.
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