Rangers’ Old Firm rivals Celtic are the latest name to be linked to Israeli wonderkid Oscar Gloukh as the attacking midfielder reportedly turns down a new Maccabi Haifa contract.
Oscar Gloukh, 18, is one of the country’s brightest young players and burst onto the scene at the end of last season, playing an influential role in the Maccabi Haifa team during that period.
This season, the attacking midfielder has picked up where he left off and has already made nine appearances for the Israeli side, scoring three goals.
That’s led to much speculation surrounding Gloukh’s future with clubs from across Europe being linked to the talented attacking midfielder.
Now, Sport 5 are claiming that the player has turned down a new contract with Maccabi, potentially opening the door to a January exit with his current contract to run until the end of the season.
They claim that the problem surrounds a potential release clause in Gloukh’s contract, which would allow clubs to come in and sign him for a pre-agreed fee.
The report also claims that Old Firm rivals Celtic are amongst the most serious suitors in the hunt for Oscar Gloukh, with the Israeli playmaker also being targeted by Marseille, Lille and Stade Brest in Ligue 1.
Celtic linked to reported Rangers “target” Oscar Gloukh
Cast your mind back to the summer and Rangers were one of a number of clubs being linked with a move for Oscar Gloukh.
Israeli-based Rangers podcaster Andy Barnett was the first to mention potential Ibrox interest in the player, citing the presence of Rangers scouts during the summer’s U19s European Championships.
Rangers would then be mentioned as potential suitors by the likes of the Scottish Sun, who cited an £8m price tag which had been slapped on the player by Maccabi manager Vladimir Ivic.
The likes of Ajax, Borussia Dortmund and Tottenham Hotspur were also being linked in the summer, suggesting that there is much interest in a player being dubbed the next big thing to come out of Israel.
It’s a market that Celtic have exploited much more than Rangers in recent years, with the Parkhead side signing the likes of Nir Biton (SC Ashdod), Hatem abd Elhamed (Hapoel Be’er Sheva) and Liel Abada (Maccabi Petka Tivah) in recent seasons.
Meanwhile, a former £8m midfielder recently linked to Rangers has taken a major decision on his future.
