Rangers are hard at work trying to get transfer deals over the line ahead of Friday’s deadline.
Gers manager Philippe Clement was clear that he ‘expects’ a busy few days in Glasgow in terms of incomings as he looks to shore up his Ibrox squad for a title tilt.
With no fewer than four positions on Rangers’ radar, there is speculation aplenty as the Ibrox side look to ship players out and bring players in over the next four days.
Here’s the latest on all the Rangers transfer news and rumours ahead of what promises to be a busy few days at Ibrox.
Time running out to shift Ianis Hagi & Todd Cantwell
Before Rangers can make any incoming transfers, Philippe Clement has been clear the club needs to shift the high-earners off the Ibrox wage bill.
There’s been a lot of good work done in this regard this summer but there is still plenty to do with several names considered surplus to requirements.
Amongst the most high profile – and high-earning – are attacking midfield duo Ianis Hagi and Todd Cantwell.
And it’s looking like it’ll be messy double divorce.
Ianis Hagi has turned down a move to Rapid Bucharest with the Rangers playmaker holding out for a higher level.
With the 25-year-old playing in the Rangers B team, the situation has drawn the ire of Gheorghe Hagi who is aghast at his son’s status in the Ibrox second string.
Branding Hagi Jnr Rangers’ ‘best player’, there’s more than a touch of delusion surrounding the Romanian who is reportedly one match away from triggering a payment clause to Genk and a wage increase.
With no future at Ibrox, time is fast running out to get Hagi’s £1.1m per season salary off the Rangers wage bill and free up cash to bring players in.
Similarly, Todd Cantwell remains in discussions over his Ibrox exit with the relationship between the midfielder and Philippe Clement disintegrating.
This comes after the midfielder told the Belgian manager he wanted to leave Ibrox and Scotland this summer, with Clement hinting that Cantwell’s camp have refused to play for the Rangers B team.
Blackburn Rovers are the latest to be linked with Cantwell and Rangers will hope to close the chapter on what’s been an ultimately disappointing 18 months in Scotland.
Also worth around £1.1m per year to Rangers, the sooner the 25-year-old signs elsewhere the better.
Kaiky the only name in Rangers defender hunt
One high-earner Rangers did manage to get off their books is Birmingham City loanee Ben Davies.
The former Preston North End captain never seemed to properly settle in Glasgow and the £1.4m per year saved is expected to be better spent.
As part of that Rangers are known to be on the hunt for a new left-sided defender with one expected in the door before the window slams shut at 11pm on Friday.
The only name who has made any headlines is that of Almeria defender Kaiky Fernandes, with Rangers having a loan-to-buy bid turned down for the 20-year-old over the weekend.
It’s not clear if Rangers will return with an improved offer but Almeria’s manager is preparing for the worst with regards a potential Kaiky exit.
The profile of the young Brazilian centre-back certainly fits the Nils Koppen mould at Ibrox and with countrymen Jefte & Danilo already at the club, settling in should be seamless.
That said, with time running out we don’t suspect Rangers will be caught hanging about if a deal cannot be struck.
Rangers learn Ibrahim Adel asking price
Left-wing is another area where Rangers are looking to recruit before the end of this summer’s window.
The Gers lost out on Abdallah Sima following a failure to reach the Champions League and the club has quickly changed tact.
There have been a number of names mentioned – ranging from Tiago Gouveia to Morgan Whittaker – but it’s Egyptian winger Ibrahim Adel who is currently making headlines.
Arab reports have claimed that Rangers had a loan-to-buy bid for Adel turned down by his parent club Pyramids FC.
Reports in Scotland then suggested Rangers hadn’t actually bid for Adel but that the club are ‘aware’ of the 23-year-old attacker’s situation.
Now the Daily Record are claiming Rangers will have to pay £5m to sign Ibrahim Adel with interest from Leicester City in the Egypt Olympics star.
Whatever happens, Rangers are expected to make a signing in this area of the pitch and there’s been as of yet unconfirmed rumours spreading on social media about interest in Brighton’s Jeremy Sarmiento.
Rangers fringe stars ready Ibrox exits
There are a number of fringe players in the Rangers squad who could also be on the move before Friday’s deadline.
Academy trio Leon King, Alex Lowry and Adam Devine have all been linked with the Ibrox exit door after their initially promising Rangers careers have stagnated.
All three players have been given opportunities in the past but have found their chances limited under Philippe Clement and could leave before the end of the window.
Rangers wide man Scott Wright could also move on after not being included in the squad for the weekend’s 6-0 win over Ross County.
Rangers have already seen a number of players leave the club this summer.
John McLaughlin, Borna Barisic, John Lundstram, Ryan Jack and Kemar Roofe all left at the end of their contracts.
Rangers have also seen Connor Goldson move to Aris Limassol, Sam Lammers transfer to FC Twente, and Robby McCrorie move to Kilmarnock in the search of first-team football.
Jose Cifuentes has also signed a loan deal with Aris Thessaloniki.
