Pendikspor coach Osman Ozkoylu has confirmed that the Turkish Super Lig club missed out on signing Rangers winger Scott Wright due to the ‘costs’ involved.
You certainly would have got long odds on the former Aberdeen forward still being part of Mick Beale’s squad come August 9th.
Scott Wright was conspicuous by his absence during Rangers’ 1-0 opening day defeat at Kilmarnock on Saturday. It is unlikely that he will be part of the party when Servette arrive at Ibrox tonight either.
Clearly, while Wright is still part of Mick Beale’s squad, he is not part of his plans.
And while Rangers are still hoping to find a club willing to take Wright off their hands, doing so is proving to be easier said than done. Preston North End looked elsewhere after two failed bids. A reported Steven Gerrard reunion in Saudi Arabia came to nothing.
And, according to Osman Ozkoylu, Pendikspor gave up the ghost too after being priced out, while indicating that it was Wright’s own demands – rather than Rangers’ asking price – which put pay to a potential move to Turkey.
Scott Wright still at Rangers
“Our transfer efforts continue,” Ozkoylu tells Milliyet. “We will make four or five reinforcements. Unfortunately, every player we talk to wants high wages. They also consider the Saudi Arabian factor.
“The transfers of Bafetimbi Gomis, (Anthony) Modeste and Scott Wright did not happen due to their costs.”
Beale confirmed in July that Rangers had accepted a bid – reportedly worth £500,000 – for Wright. The former Scotland U21 international found game time hard to come by after Beale replaced Giovanni van Bronckhorst in November of last year, and things are unlikely to get any easier after the Glasgow giants brought in Abdallah Sima on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion.
Rangers, per TEAMtalk, could also look to add another winger to their squad in the shape of Bristol City’s Sam Bell.
