Rangers left-back Ridvan Yilmaz has been the subject of repeated transfer links to Besiktas all January window long.
The Turkey international, 23, is an easy link for the Turkish media to make and barely a transfer window goes by without the Rangers star being tipped for one of the Istanbul giants.
With that in mind, you’ll forgive Rangers fans for taking this January’s Ridvan Yilmaz links to Besiktas with a pinch of salt.
But in a turn up for the books, there might actually be something in the latest reporting amid suggestions Rangers have turned down a £3.3m bid.
Rangers reject Ridvan Yilmaz bid
According to Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu, Rangers have rejected a loan-to-buy offer for Ridvan Yilmaz from Besiktas.
The deal is said to have included an initial €1m (£830k) up front with €3m (£2.5m) to be paid as part of a mandatory purchase option come the end of the season.
Rangers are said to have rejected the offer with the personal terms on offer also not enough to tempt Ridvan with discussions said to be ‘ongoing’.
Translated: “Beşiktaş made an offer for Rıdvan Yılmaz, which included a €1m loan fee and a €3m mandatory purchase. Rangers found the offer insufficient. The player’s side was not convinced by the offer made to them either. Contacts are ongoing.”
Rangers paid Besiktas an initial £3.4m to sign Ridvan Yilmaz in the summer of 2022 with the deal potentially set to rise to £5m dependent on add-ons.
Yilmaz has impressed in flashes at Ibrox although injury has limited the defender to 68 appearances in three seasons.
The reports of a bid come amid claims that Ridvan Yilmaz is content at Rangers and won’t leave the club before tonight’s deadline.
Philippe Clement on Ridvan Yilmaz
Yagiz Sabuncuoglu is one of the Turkish media’s most widely respected journalists and his transfer takes are usually well founded.
Sabuncuoglu was the journalist who first broke news of Trabzonspor interest in Borna Barisic and John Lundstram come the end of last season.
Philippe Clement has previously been pressed on speculation surrounding Ridvan Yilmaz and insists Rangers won’t sell without a replacement lined up.
“We can only let players go that perform well if we can replace them by better players,” Clement told BBC Sport. ”So I don’t expect that in the case of Ridvan.”
The Turkish transfer window doesn’t close until February 11th but unless Rangers can line up an alternative before tonight’s deadline, we don’t expect that to matter.
