Rangers: Borna Barisic and Ridvan Yilmaz to leave Ibrox this year, Josh Doig an upgrade for Philippe Clement – Roger Hannah
Borna Barisic and Ridvan Yilmaz are both likely headed for a Rangers exit in the near future in the view of Roger Hannah.
The Scottish Sun journalist said on Clyde 1 Superscoreboard on 8 January that the Croatian’s time is probably up when his contract expires in the summer after being a “really good signing” for the Light Blues.
But he doesn’t believe Turkish international Yilmaz has convinced Philippe Clement, with the Belgian now looking to upgrade at the left-back spot this month, and Hannah claims the Ibrox-linked Josh Doig would be an improvement if the club could land the Scot.
Hannah said: “Barisic, for me, has been a really good signing for Rangers for what he cost. He has done everything that was asked of him, he has won trophies, [but] I think Borna Barsic has probably had his Rangers career.
“I’m not saying he’ll go this window but he’s out of contract in the summer, I think Barisic will leave the club in the coming period if you like.
“Yilmaz for me has not set the heather on fire. He’s most famous in these parts for looking like Andy Halliday… he set up [Todd] Cantwell’s goal very well against Kilmarnock, he just hasn’t convinced me at all.
“When you look at the speculation and the interest from Hellas Verona it looks to me as if he hasn’t convinced Philippe Clement, and Philippe Clement will look to get a better left-back in.
“For me, from what I’ve seen of the two of them, Josh Doig’s a better left-back than Ridvan Yilmaz. So if Rangers can pull off this trick I think they’ll be doing well.”
Problem position
For the usage Rangers have got out of Barisic following his 2018 transfer for up to £2.2million [Sky Sports] they probably have got value for money.
Some fans would certainly dispute whether the quality in some of his 224 appearances in the years since was high enough, and it is a poor reflection on the likes of Yilmaz that he has played so many times.
When the 31-year-old came under fire for his role in some heavy defeats to Celtic under Giovanni van Bronckhorst it felt like his time as the regular starter was probably up, and when the club then spent £3.4m rising to £5m [Sky Sports] to sign Yilmaz, 22, that seemed to confirm as much.
There have been flashes of the quality that would be needed for him to be the left-back of the future but they have been far too infrequent, so the fact that his exit appears to be on the cards during January is a measure of how the position has still not been adequately addressed for too long.
If Rangers can land Doig then perhaps they will finally have found the answer, but the 21-year-old isn’t likely to be cheap, although the fact Verona appear to be in the brink of landing Yilmaz [Gianluca Di Marzio, 5 January] certainly helps boost the prospect of the two defenders swapping places.
However, it would be a disappointing reversion to the status quo if the former Besiktas man left for Italy without a new potential starter arriving this month, leaving Barisic to continue his charmed streak as the Ibrox number one.
In other Rangers news, the Light Blues have been credited with interest in a talented English forward this month.