Galatasaray are still in the market for a left-back with head coach Okan Buruk seemingly yet not ready to walk away from the club’s pursuit of Rangers defender Ridvan Yilmaz.
There are still six days left before the Turkish transfer window closes. And, while Galatasaray may have left it too late to bring Ridvan Yilmaz back to the banks of the Bosphorus, the Super Lig challengers are not going to accept defeat so readily.
Galatasaray, reports say, will look to continue talks with Rangers. There is, however, a £2 million gap in the valuations of both clubs, with Philippe Clement’s Glasgow giants demanding double the amount Buruk’s are willing to pay for the former Besiktas flyer.
What’s more, with the Scottish window closing two days ago, one suspects that Rangers will not be rushing to agree terms with Galatasaray, given that there is no way Clement can bring in a replacement ahead of a hectic final few months of a season which may still end in a Premiership title.
Ridvan Yilmaz is still a Rangers player
“Berkan Kutlu, Baris Alper Yilmaz and Kaan Ayhan have played very well at left-back. I am happy with all three of them,” Burak tells Sporx, forced to test the limits of his squad due to Galatasaray’s defensive shortages.
“The (Galatasaray) management does whatever we want. Our president is always with us. If there is a need for a transfer in the next few days, we can use it in the Turkish League.
“If there is an opportunity for a transfer, we will evaluate it.”
Gers want £4m as Galatasaray offer £2m
Rangers were linked with a host of left-backs throughout January but the closest they came to landing one was when they agreed terms with Fluminense to bring 20-year-old Jefte Vital to Ibrox.
According to Fabrizio Romano, talks broke down after APOEL Nicosia – who signed Jefte on a season-long loan last summer – refused to cut short his stay in Cyprus, with the Brazilian issuing an apology to his temporary employers after the window closed.
“To all APOEL fans, my team-mates, the coach, the president and the entire club staff, I would like to communicate my apology for being absent (from training). At the time of the incident, I was not feeling in a position to help the club and I chose to leave,” Jefte explains.
“The institution deserves all my commitment, dedication and focus, as it has been in the last few months, and as it will be from now on.
“We remain stronger than ever and are now 100 per cent focused on the main objective of winning the championship.”
