Rangers tipped to sign English Championship left-back as Ridvan Yilmaz exit news emerges at Ibrox
We’re delighted to welcome former Ibrox star Derek Ferguson as our exclusive Rangers columnist as each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points in Govan…
Rangers could look to the Championship in England to sign a replacement for the exit-linked Ridvan Yilmaz in January, Derek Ferguson has said.
The full-back, signed in July 2022, faces an uncertain future and his representatives have held talks with Serie A clubs Torino and Verona about a January exit away from Rangers, according to Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu (10 January).
With Borna Barisic also potentially leaving Ibrox in the near future it leaves Philippe Clement facing the possibility of needing reinforcement in the left-back department.
Former Rangers man Ferguson thinks there are plenty of possibilities in the second tier of English football who could be drafted in to reinforce Clement’s options.
Speaking to Ibrox News, he said: “It’s a year and a half he’s been at the club, he’s taken too long to settle, he’s had injury problems. For me, he would not be a big miss.
“I think there’s other players out there and I know there’s been a lot made about the boy Josh Doig but I think from the Championship in England, maybe even one or two in Scotland, you could look to bring in a left back.
“I think you’ve got to applaud the manager because he’s tried to work with him, he’s tried to get the best out of him at the moment but I think long term he wouldn’t be the manager’s first pick.
“I think you can see with the manager the player he was, I think he wants players who are out and out good defenders, you see the difference in Tav (James Tavernier). Tav’s a wee bit more restricted in terms of going forward.”
Rangers are second in the Scottish Premiership having played 20 games, two fewer than rivals Celtic who are eight points clear at the top.
Clement’s men are currently in the midseason break in Scotland and return to action against Dumbarton in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup on 20 January.
In other Rangers news, the club have been ordered to pay compensation after a legal battle concluded.