Rangers have suffered a blow in their pursuit of long-term target Josh Maja who is reportedly targeting a return to England after his release from Ligue 2 Bordeaux.
According to Sunday Mirror journalist Darren Witcoop, 24-year-old hitman Maja is eyeing a return to the English game despite also having interest from Germany and Spain.
This comes with Josh Maja, 24, previously turning out for Sunderland, Fulham and Stoke City south of the border and it’s interesting that Witcoop hasn’t mentioned Rangers in the tweet.
This is the second time in a matter of days a leading transfer source hasn’t tied Rangers to Josh Maja following his release from Bordeaux after reports in France negated to mention the Gers this week.
Reports even named La Liga sides Real Valladolid & Alavés and Ligue 1 sides Brest & Nice as Josh Maja suitors, with unnamed interest from the English Championship also attached.
Rangers-linked Josh Maja targets England return
This comes despite Rangers being heavily linked with a move for the Bordeaux striker all season long, the attacker eventually being released from his Bordeaux contract after promotion controversy at the end of the campaign.
Whilst Rangers do appear to have turned their attentions elsewhere – the club are said to be closing in on a deal for Cremonese striker Cyriel Dessers – the links have persisted.
Even with additional reports around Feyenoord striker Danilo, there were claims from reputable sources earlier in the summer that the Rangers interest in Josh Maja was legitimate.
Moreover, there was also the suggestion that the attacker was a long-term Ibrox target, Maja having been linked to Rangers prior to his Bordeaux switch in 2019.
Josh Maja certainly fits the Rangers profile; talented, English trained and young enough with a point to prove after a challenging few years, perhaps a switch to Ibrox appeared to be primed for the attacker.
But as things have transpired, Maja appears to prefer a switch to England and Rangers are quite clearly not waiting around with their other transfer targets.
