Rangers set for Wednesday talks with Ridvan Yilmaz agent after transfer interest, exit-linked unhappy with Ibrox situation
Ridvan Yilmaz’s agent is set for talks with Rangers this week to settle his future with the exit-linked defender unhappy with his playing time at Ibrox, according to Yağız Sabuncuoğlu.
The Sports Digitale journalist said on the outlet’s YouTube channel on 21 November that the Turkish left-back’s representative is due in Glasgow on Wednesday (23 November) in order for both sides to decide his fate.
The former Besiktas man is believed to be dissatisfied with his Light Blues role and has had interest from Istanbul giants Fenerbahce and Galatasaray as recently as this summer, although Sabuncuoğlu stressed there is nothing on the table for him to leave currently.
Sabuncuoğlu said (translated to English, 11m 20s): “Nothing is certain at the moment.. It is important to say that the player’s agent will go to Scotland this week and have a meeting with Rangers.
“Because they are not very happy with the amount of playing time… he plays four matches, he doesn’t play the next two. He plays three, he misses one…
“Due to this playing irregularity his agent Necdet Ergezen will go to Scotland and have a meeting with the club. After that we can say more clearly, but there is discomfort at not playing…
“Of course there may be a possibility of [a move to] Turkey. Fenerbahce made an attempt in the summer, and Galatasaray also made an offer, but for now there is no offer going to the player’s side or Rangers.
“After Wednesday Ridvan Yilmaz’s future will be clear… the critical and important information is that his representatives will have a meeting with Rangers this week and after that they will decide the fate of the player together.”
Unhappy marriage
It is nearly 18-months into Yilmaz’s Rangers career and it is still hard to tell what sort of player the club have got in the squad.
It is no surprise that he is unhappy with how much he has played since arriving in Scotland but the Light Blues would no doubt say very much the same.
While some set backs in his development appear to be outside his control, such as Michael Beale’s bizarre decision to exclude him from the Europa League squad this season, the club might just as well argue his frequent injury issues haven’t helped him either.
Since fitness problems appear to be a squad-wide issue it is debatable as to who might be at fault for that, but surely if Ridvan was fit, available, and had proven he was capable of putting regular, solid performances Rangers wouldn’t still be starting Borna Barisic more often than not.
A deal that could reach £5million [Sky Sports] is no small change for a player who has only made 23 appearances across all competitions after this long.
For that price he would have been expected to make the left-back role his own by now, but aside from an encouraging run to end last season that suggested he was set to do so, it has been stop-start at best.
He has regularly been linked to a move back to Turkey and yet, perhaps unsurprisingly, nothing has happened because it still feels too early to judge, but that needs to change sooner rather than later because both sides need an answer.
In other Rangers news, a positive update has emerged at Ibrox amid crucial talks with teams queuing up to take advantage.