George Overhill

Mon 3 July 2023 18:40, UK

A deal is now “very close to being done” between Rangers and Nottingham Forest for defender Jonathan Panzo, according to The 4th Official.

The centre-back was thought to be too expensive for the Light Blues as recently as two weekends ago (24 June), but soon after a breakthrough was reached to put Cremonese striker Cyriel Dessers in line to become the sixth summer signing of Michael Beale’s overhaul Panzo is now almost ready to be queued up as the seventh.

The Gers had also been after Auston Trusty from Arsenal before hitting a similar roadblock on price for the American but the priority Panzo move is nearly done.

The online outlet T4O reported via Patreon that after “speaking to several sources” the 22-year-old is on the brink of an Ibrox move, with an agreement “very close on the transfer fee and payment terms”.

Panzo had other options from multiple different countries but was reportedly “always Rangers’ first choice” for the centre of the defence and now should be signing number seven “if everything goes right”.

Success?

Just as progress looked be slowing down in the past couple of weeks after the fast start to the summer business, key breakthroughs are being made on pursuits that were starting to look dead.

Assuming Beale has identified the right targets then it is shaping up to look very positive for next season, as his primary options are gradually being secured at multiple positions.

The manager is also after a deal for LAFC midfielder Jose Cifuentes, and the Ecuadorian was an unexplained absence from the MLS side over the weekend, suggesting that the advance Beale was hoping for at that point might have been reached as well.

None of the activity will mean anything if he isn’t able to put it together on the pitch next season, but given his only two signings so far, Todd Cantwell and Nico Raskin in January, have been positive additions there will be high hopes that he knows what this Rangers side needs and is getting it.

There was always going to be a lot of additions needed with so many players leaving on free transfers this, and in terms of pure numbers the Light Blues have made up for those departures and are now adding extras.

The big questions in goal and in attack look like they are close to being answered, and if a further striker could still arrive it would be a bonus.

It can’t be certain until both Dessers and Panzo are announced but indications are now very positive, and if both are through the doors in the coming days it would put Beale in a strong position for the rest of the summer window.

In other Rangers news, it isn’t just the playing staff that is being added to as talks are now imminent over a “sensational” behind the scenes appointment as well.