Luis Palma transfer now dead in the water for Rangers as multi-million development emerges
A deal to sign Aris forward Luis Palma is now dead in the water for Rangers despite the player wanting an Ibrox transfer, according to Greek outlet SDNA.
The Gers have also long been linked with Palma with Athlos News [27 May] revealing that Rangers made a bid of £2.6m for the 23-year-old which was turned down by the Greek club.
And in a report shared on Twitter by The 4th Official who added to the reports in Greece [8 June], Rangers have pulled out of the race for the 23-year-old Honduran international.
According to Sdna [9 June] there is a huge distance in valuation for the six-cap Honduran with Aris pricing their asset at €5 (£4.2m) and Rangers not wanting to pay more than £2.6m which means any deal is now all but over, despite Palma having an affinity for the Scottish giants.
Drawing board
Palma looked like he was going to be the Ryan Kent replacement that Rangers desperately needed but it’s back to the drawing board now for them after this failed pursuit.
The Gers and Beale have been pretty efficient thus far, completing deals for Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling and Jack Butland already, on free transfers but it seems as though a top target can’t be acquired.
Rangers fans will be desperately hoping this isn’t the case for other key targets for the rest of the window as the Light Blues are in dire need of quality to fully challenge Celtic next season.
Palma will have been a lovely addition given his qualities and may well have been used as a secret weapon by Beale to surprise his rivals next season, given the Honduran is something of an unknown quantity in these parts.
However, with a deal now dead in the water, Rangers will have to look elsewhere to find their ideal Kent replacement and it won’t be an easy task too if the club seem unwilling to shell out more than £4m.
That’s the price for the sort of quality Rangers are looking for. Go hard or go home.
In other Rangers news, work permit issues have now emerged which means that the club may not be able to complete a major signing this summer.