Rangers could allow one of their first-team players to leave Ibrox this January amid interest from Europe, according to a report.
Change needed at Rangers
The Gers’ dismal 2-1 defeat at St Mirren on Boxing Day underlined the need for changes in the January transfer window, with a seemingly insurmountable 12-point gap now being opened up by Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.
5 players who could leave Rangers this January
The January window could see a number of Gers players near the exit door.
ByRoss KilvingtonDec 27, 2024
There could be a number of departures this winter, with striker Cyriel Dessers potentially on his way to France amid interest from Saint-Etienne, while fellow forward Hamza Igamane is attracting interest from English Premier League outfit Everton.
Rabbi Matondo may be deemed surplus to requirements by Philippe Clement, while long-serving right-back James Tavernier could also move elsewhere, having previously attracted interest from Turkish sides Besiktas and Trabzonspor.
Fixture
Date
Motherwell (a)
December 29th
Celtic (h)
January 2nd
Hibernian (a)
January 5th
Dundee (a)
January 9th
St Johnstone (h)
January 12th
However, Tavernier is not the only Gers player who could be on his way to Turkey, with journalist Ersan Serdal confirming that Trabzonspor are interested in signing Ridvan Yilmaz.
Manager Şenol Güneş is personally interested in signing Yilmaz, and there are indications that Clement could be willing to sanction his departure this January.
The Herald has provided a further update on the defender’s future, stating that Rangers would consider accepting an offer this winter should a reasonable bid be tabled.
Given that the Turkey international has fallen down the pecking order since returning from injury in November and with Jefte now more regularly being given the nod at left-back, Clement may be happy to let him go.
The Light Blues are said to be trying to reduce their wage bill in line with their recent change in recruitment strategy.
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ByRoss KilvingtonDec 27, 2024 Good move for all parties
23-year-old Yilmaz has endured a tough time with injuries since arriving at Ibrox, which has meant he’s never really been able to cement his place in the starting XI.
It is clear that he is still held in high regard by the Rangers manager, with Clement praising his resilience earlier in December, saying: “I know what kind of warrior Ridvan is, from last season.
“He was [a] long time out with an injury, he is coming back now and I knew he could play that position also because he always gives everything for the team.
“And he has quality on the ball to do the right thing and he is a smart guy.”
That said, the Turk has fallen out of favour at Ibrox, with Jefte now the preferred option, so a move back to his home country could make sense for all parties.
It would make sense for Yilmaz to attempt to reignite his career with Trabzonspor, while Rangers could use the money to strengthen other areas of the squad that are lacking in quality.