There was a moment during the January transfer window that it appeared Rangers might genuinely lose Ridvan Yilmaz to Galatasaray.
The Ibrox support have gotten used to the 22-year-old Turkish international being hawked back to his home country in the Istanbul press.
This time however things felt substantially different amid reports of rejected bids and Rangers’ valuation not being met by a stubborn Gala boardroom.
But after a move failed to materialise, should the Turks come calling again in the summer Galatasaray might expect some increased digits on Rangers’ Ridvan Yilmaz valuation.
Back in January, the Turkish press had Rangers demanding around £4m. It’s surely got to be more than double that now.
Ridvan Yilmaz emerges as first-choice for Rangers
Emerging as Rangers’ first-choice left-back under Philippe Clement, Ridvan Yilmaz put in yet another inspired Rangers showing in the 5-0 demolition of Hearts.
What the diminutive wing-back lacks in stature he more than makes up for in heart with his hurried, aggressive, pressing style backed up by quality in the final third.
Not only does Ridvan Yilmaz get into the opposition half – and back into the Rangers one – but when he does so his possession is ordinarily quality and is backed up with impetus.
The kid is also steadily improving on his crossing and whipped in a series of stunning balls which Rangers might’ve converted to add extra gloss to the score line.
Ridvan didn’t exactly shirk attacking the ball in the air at the weekend either.
Whilst there are few in the Rangers squad who cannot attest to finding form and confidence under Clement, Yilmaz’s emergence has been amongst the most stark.
Galatasaray must cough up for Ibrox left-back
Those Rangers fans who’d earmarked him for the exit door amid links to Brazilian left-back Jefte are now counting their lucky chickens that Yilmaz has stayed.
Signed back in the summer of 2022 it’s taken the best part of 18 months for Rangers to see what Ridvan Yilmaz has to offer and they are very much liking what’s on display.
One of the only real parting gifts left from the ill-fated final few windows of Ross Wilson – perhaps Tom Lawrence will finally fall into that category too – Rangers fans are no longer quite so open to the left-back’s exit.
With Borna Barisic out of contract in the summer, and the aforementioned Jefte to reportedly resume his status as a target come June, Ridvan Yilmaz is very much the Rangers left-back as things stand.
And if Galatasaray, or anyone else for that matter, really want a a piece of the Turkish international, eight figures is just the beginning of what the Ibrox side will be demanding.
