Rangers face dynamic new complications in their pursuit of French defender Sankhoun Diawara, with Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio revealing that Serie A outfit Udinese have entered the race.
The Rangers Review reporter Chris Jack recently confirmed that the Ibrox recruitment team are locked in active, ongoing negotiations with newly promoted Ligue 1 side Troyes to secure the 20-year-old powerhouse.
Rangers have set their sights on the versatile 6ft 2in defender to fix a severe deficit of natural left-footed options in Derek McInnes‘ central defensive unit.
However, while the Gers were already battling Swiss heavyweights FC Basel for his signature, the stakes have been raised exponentially following an update from Italy.
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Udinese set sights on Sankhoun Diawara
According to Di Marzio, Udinese have added Diawara to their summer wishlist as they look to bolster their own defensive options for the upcoming Serie A campaign.
The Italian club have a legendary continental reputation for unearthing elite, under-the-radar young talent in France and developing them into multi-million-pound assets.
The fact that the 2006-born defender has popped up on their radar validates the meticulous scouting work done by Rangers technical director Dan Purdy, but it makes sealing the deal significantly harder.
The allure of top-flight Italian football, combined with the financial muscle of a Serie A television contract, presents a formidable hurdle for the Light Blues to overcome.
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This development puts immense pressure on Rangers to quickly finalise their ongoing dialogue over a deal for Diawara.
McInnes’ need for Diawara is purely tactical. Following the summer departures of Derek Cornelius and Nasser Djiga, the first-team squad is short of left-sided central defenders.
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Diawara has been identified as an ideal profile to provide immediate balance alongside Ben Godfrey and Emmanuel Fernandez, while John Souttar appears to be on his way out of Ibrox.
Rangers currently hold the advantage of already being in discussion over a transfer, but Di Marzio’s update serves as a definitive warning shot.
If Purdy and the Ibrox board do not accelerate efforts to meet Troyes’ valuation and strike a deal, they risk seeing one of their summer transfer targets snapped up by Italian football’s premier talent collectors.
