Rangers have turned a six-figure profit on striker Antonio Colak as the club announce the Croatian’s departure from Ibrox in a move to Serie B side Parma.
The Gers took to social media to thank the 29-year-old hitman for his contribution in his first and only season in Glasgow, with the striker having joined the club from Greek outfit PAOK last season.
Reports at the time suggested that Antonio Colak cost Rangers a cool £1.8m this time last season [Sky Sports] and whilst the deal is officially “undisclosed” reports are claiming Parma will pay £2.5m to bring Big Tony Goals to Italy [Scottish Sun].
That means that Rangers stand to bank a cool six-figure profit of £700k in a net positive return for the club’s player trading model despite tabloid reports the club broke even on the deal.
Antonio Colak leaves Ibrox impression despite Parma move
Antonio Colak heads to Parma with the best wishes of everyone at Rangers as the club look to revamp the squad this summer under the guidance of Michael Beale.
Netting a total of 18 goals in his only season with Rangers, Antonio Colak had already paid his transfer fee several times over with the only goal in a 1-0 win away to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League Playoff.
The striker had also scored in the 2-2 first leg draw at Ibrox as his two strikes contributed to the club reaching European football’s elite competition for the first time in 12 years.
The goals also repaid the club after Antonio Colak’s goals played a key role in the club being dumped out of the Champions League qualifiers the season before at the hands of Swedish champions Malmo.
After his transfer to Parma was confirmed, Antonio Colak took to social media in an emotional message to the Rangers support.
Rangers set attacking sights elsewhere
Starting his Rangers career on fire, Antonio Colak netted 11 goals in his first 12 Scottish Premiership matches before injury and a squad-wide downturn in form disrupted his explosive start.
Despite the goal return, there was a genuine sentiment from within the support that Parma-bound Antonio Colak was not the man to lead the Rangers frontline under Michael Beale.
With the Ibrox manager requesting his forward players to be versatile, dynamic and fluid, the big poacher perhaps didn’t fit into Beale’s image for the side.
Rangers have also invested heavily in the club’s frontline this season, already bringing Abdallah Sima in on loan from Brighton, signing a £3.5m deal to sign Sam Lammers from Atalanta and splashing north of £4.5m to sign Cyriel Dessers from Cremonese.
The club has also reportedly submitted another bid for Feyenoord’s Brazilian striker Danilo, for whom the Ibrox side had a bid rejected earlier in the season.
Antonio Colak’s exit also comes as Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos and ex-Liverpool winger Ryan Kent leave the club at the end of their contracts.
