Rangers transfer update: ‘Incredible professional’ Antonio Colak exit likely to open door to another striker signing
Rangers will likely let Antonio Colak leave this summer if they get an offer close to what they paid for him a year ago, and if he goes a new striker is likely to come in, according to Rangers Review’s Euan Robertson.
The Croatian, 29, has been earmarked as a possible departure from Ibrox as Michael Beale has already signed three new attackers and isn’t thought to see the £1.8million signing from PAOK [Sky Sports] as the right fit.
The Light Blues have been linked with a further move for Feyenoord’s Danilo, 24, and with the Scottish Sun reporting on 9 July that Werder Bremen head a pack of clubs planning a £2m move for Colak it could now open the door to a further attacking arrival.
Speaking on the Rangers Review morning briefing on Tuesday (11 July, 5m 15s) Robertson admitted a Colak exit was possible and said: “I don’t think that’s any reflection on him as a player. By all accounts he’s an incredible professional…
“Every indication is if maybe Rangers want to go and bring in two or three more players in the window they have to move a couple of players out, and if they can get in the region of what they paid for Colak last summer then I think he’ll leave the club.
“I think it’s as simple as that. If Colak goes another striker might come in who might be a better age profile and a better fit to what Michael Beale wants to do… I don’t think there’s any rush to get him out the door but I do think he’s a player who will move on this summer.”
One in one out
If Colak doesn’t fit Beale’s style then the writing is on the wall for his long-term prospects at Ibrox, through no fault of either party.
The striker was signed for Giovanni van Bronckhorst a year ago and proved to be very effective for the Dutchman as he scored the goals that took Rangers into the Champions League.
Injury issues throughout the second half of last season largely robbed him of the opportunity to impress Beale, and with the manager going full-steam ahead on his rebuild there may be no space for a second chance.
If Colak gets a decent move back to the Bundesliga where he has spent time at multiple clubs before and it helps fund the Gers to get in another option to fit Beale’s plan then everyone’s a winner.
It wouldn’t be the worst outcome from a club point of view if a proven SPFL scorer ended up remaining at Ibrox, but from his perspective it would likely be a frustration to become a back-up option.
If Werder Bremen put money on the table then the deal is there to be done, and should he go it will have been a solid year’s work for Colak in Glasgow and he should leave with no damage to his reputation.
In other Rangers news, the club are in a battle with a mega-rich club to pick up a newly-available young talent who has already visited the Light Blues.