£5m winner named in Rangers race to sign Josh Doig as Ibrox bid update emerges
Hellas Verona left-back Josh Doig is set to sign for Marseille on a £5million deal amid interest from Rangers, according to Sunday Mail.
The newspaper reported [14 January, back page & page 69] that has all but completed a £5million transfer to the French giants amid interest from Sassuolo, Torino and Rangers.
However, it is understood that the Ibrox club did not enter any bid into the transfer battle for the former Hibernian defender but were said to be admirers of the player.
Doig is believed to have been persuaded by the manager and support at Marseille, with former Rangers star Rino Gattuso holding the reins, turning down the option of staying.
Missed opportunity
Missing out on the signing of the 2020/21 Scottish Football Writers’ Association Young Player of the Year will sting for Philippe Clement, especially during his search for a brand-new left-back.
However, it seems the Gers were far too slow in making a move for the 21-year-old defender, who made 78 appearances for Hibs over a two-year period.
Rangers are desperate for a new left-back, with Ridvan Yilmaz and Borna Barisic failing to impress Clement since he joined the club in October. Though Yilmaz has been a regular in the starting XI, the Belgian manager has been very open with his want for a different full-back.
With Doig’s signing at Marseille now imminent, Rangers will need to look elsewhere to fill the vacant left-back position.
There are negatives to Doig as a footballer, though, so it is not all doom and gloom. The youngster has only completed a full 90 minutes on two occasions in Serie A this season, also suffering an ankle injury that kept him out of the side for a couple of weeks.
If Rangers were to have signed the player, a back-up may have been needed, with Doig’s stamina potentially brought into question with continuous early substitutions.
In other Rangers news, the Gers have been ordered to pay compensation as a legal battle involving the club concludes.