Rangers fans have been handed a transfer reality check as reported summer target Evander officially swaps FC Midtjylland for the Portland Timbers.
The Brazilian playmaker, 24, has joined the MLS side in a landmark reported £8.2m ($10m) deal which is a club record and a statement of intent from the American club.
The Rio-born midfielder has been a revelation in Denmark, scoring 50 goals and notching 38 assists in 167 appearances and impressing in the Champions and Europa Leagues.
Rangers were one club said to be tailing the player this summer with fans initially getting their hopes up following the club’s qualification for the Champions League.
But fans have been given something of a reality check regarding any prospective Evander deal as the high stakes involved – between the transfer fee and inferred wage structure of the deal – means any Ibrox move for the Brazilian was probably never realistic.
Rangers reality check as Evander moves to Portland Timbers
Instead, it will be Portland Timbers that Evander is turning out for rather than Rangers and it’s a deal that has everyone connected to the American club excited.
“We are thrilled to announce the acquisition and signing of our new Designated Player, Evander,” said Ned Grabavoy, Timbers technical director [PTFC].
“It was clear from the beginning stages of this process that this was a great opportunity for both Evander and the Portland Timbers.
“He is a player with natural ability, capable of making an impact, and has already proven himself at a good standard. We see him as an integral part of the club’s future and look forward to seeing him in Green and Gold soon.”
It speaks volumes that a club in the MLS now has more financial muscle than a European giant like Rangers but as the Scottish game continues to lag it’s clear that it will become more difficult to compete.
Not that Rangers won’t try, with an African international the latest name to be linked to Ibrox.
