One of the side shows of this season has been the saga across the city featuring Liel Abada and his future at Celtic, a player so regularly the difference in Old Firm derbies with Rangers.
It’s a complex and well reported situation but, from an Ibrox perspective, they are a weaker team without him in their line-up – after Jota left, he became their best winger.
Liel Abada probably still gives Borna Barisic sleepless nights but it looks as though the Rangers left-back will be able to sleep soundly due to a transfer report emerging over the weekend from Pete O’Rourke.
Liel Abada exit only helps Rangers title cause
The former Sky Sports journalist, writing for Football Insider, has claimed that a permanent exit for the Israel winger has been agreed and there is a Light Blues connection to the move.
A story now being corroborated in the States.
Interestingly, local journalists claim that the fee is around the £2.3m mark whereas Scottish journalists are reporting an £8m “deal” – they wouldn’t be including the wages in the price to make it look like Celtic aren’t losing money, would they?
Abada is, reportedly, heading to MLS and Charlotte FC where fans’ favourite Scott Arfield has become every bit as popular as he was in Govan.
The veteran midfielder has settled well into life in the USA and is set to be joined by his Old Firm sparring partner.
Arfield is well known for his personality and the effect he has on a dressing room so Abada can expect a warm welcome – of sorts.
For Rangers, this is a massive boost.
Celtic have spent nearly £10m on wingers in the last few transfer windows but none of them are on the level of Jota or Liel Abada, two players who caused Rangers so many problems under Ange Postecoglu.
Abada is the perfect modern winger and a player that we have been crying out for.
There is a striking resemblance with how Oscar Cortes started his Rangers career only for the young Colombian to suffer injury at the worst possible time.
Tall, athletic, fast, a powerful dribbler and with an eye for a goal, what team wouldn’t miss this type of threat?
Thankfully, it looks like it is a threat that we will no longer have to face.
