Sky journalist delivers major transfer update on Rangers-linked winger, out of contract in ’21
QPR midfielder Bright Osayi-Samuel has agreed a deal to join Turkish giants Fenerbahce with Rangers one of a number of teams to reportedly miss out.
The 23-year-old has been impressing for the Championship side over the last four seasons after joining from Blackpool in 2017, attracting a number of suitors with his dazzling displays down the wing.
Rangers, along with Old Firm rivals Celtic, were one of a host of clubs watching the Nigeria-born player [Glasgow Times] with his contract expiring in June, making him an attractive proposition on a free transfer with foreign clubs allowed to speak with him from January.
https://twitter.com/SkyKaveh/status/1350128661584879617?s=20
However Fenerbahce have trumped all interested parties and confirmed on Twitter that Osayi-Samuel is set to join the Super Lig club at the end of the current campaign.
Prior to official confirmation from Fenerbahce Sky Sports journalist Kaveh Solhekol revealed via his twitter account that Rangers had been interested in signing him but were set to miss out.
Osayi-Samuel will now see the conclusion of the current campaign out at Loftus Road as QPR get set for a survival scrap, with the London club sitting in 18th place and just five points above the relegation zone.
Pace would have been a key asset
Osayi-Samuel is a fast, direct winger who would have brought a wealth of tricks and energy to the Rangers side but missing out on his signature is not an unmitigated disaster for Steven Gerrard and co.
He has shone at times in a struggling QPR side, particularly last season when he registered five goals and eight assists in the Championship [WhoScored].
This season, though, those figures are down slightly with three goals and two assists so far. He might match his goal tally but he will have some work to do in order to catch up with last season’s assists total.
In terms of out-and-out first-team wingers the Gers can probably only claim to have Ryan Kent and he has endured something of a goal drought recently as he has not scored since November 22 in a 4-0 win over Aberdeen at Ibrox.
The likes of Kemar Roofe and Ianis Hagi have been playing on the other side and offer a different type of threat.
Hagi in particular is a player that prefers to operate a bit deeper and cut into the middle of the pitch while Roofe prefers to play closer to the penalty area and utilise his strong finishing abilities.
It is an area the Light Blues really could do with strengthening in if they want to keep progressing and it will be particularly important in European ties when they are forced to adopt a more counter-attacking approach against tougher opposition.
This is where pace plays a big role and Osayi-Samuel has that in abundance.
It is a blow for Rangers if they really were prepared to firm up their interest and it would have been particularly savvy given he would not have cost a penny in transfer fees, but it would not have affected them this season anyway, and they can now put their effort into finding the most suitable option in the summer.
In other Rangers news, Chris Sutton shoots down ‘null and void’ talk.