Club chief hints Rangers-linked Danilho Doekhi could leave
Rangers seem to have been handed a big boost in their race to sign Vitesse defender Danilo Doekhi on a free transfer.
The Gers failed in their attempt to sign the 23-year-old in the January transfer window, as per Gelderlander (10 February) but they have a good chance to sign him for free if he fails to sign a contract extension at the Eredivisie club.
The Dutch club opted to keep hold of their skipper, but new technical director Benjamin Schmedes has now conceded that the club are looking for replacements with Doekhi set to leave.
Speaking to GDL, as translated by the Daily Record, Schmedes said: “We have no time to lose.
“We are going to tackle signings and I expect the first results in the spring. You can see it as a threat (Doekhi leaving), but I see it as challenging opportunities.”
Must buy
The central defender is one area where Rangers would be looking to bolster in the summer.
Already the Gers have signed John Souttar on a pre-contract deal. He will join in the summer on a free transfer.
However, Connor Goldson’s future is still up in the air. He has a contract at Ibrox till the end of the season, and there’s no fresh indication that he will pen a new deal.
While Rangers managing director Stewart Robertson indicated that the club could be looking to hold talks with players whose contracts are expiring in the summer, it remains to be seen whether they can reach a deal with Goldson.
Leon Balogun is another defender who is also facing an uncertain future at the club.
In case, he leaves, a move for Doekhi makes a lot of sense. The fact that the Dutch club have resigned to losing him should encourage Rangers in getting a deal wrapped up.
In other Rangers news, the club could have signed a ‘Combative’ centre mid whose father was an Ibrox icon.