Josh Doig left stranded at airport as Rangers transfer update emerges at Ibrox
Rangers target Josh Doig was left stranded at the airport after Marseille pulled the plug on the player’s dream £4.3million move, according to Daily Record.
The newspaper reported [16 January, back page & page 47] that, despite interest from Ibrox as a long-term replacement for Borna Barisic, Doig looked set for a move to Ligue 1 before the French giants pulled their bid.
It is understood that the former Hibs star was waiting to board a flight to France before learning of Marseille’s decision, with Hellas Verona second-guessing their deal with them after a late bid from Sassuolo.
Marseille are set to target Ulisses Garcias from Young Boys in Switzerland instead, turning their attention away from the 21-year-old Scot.
There’s still a chance
At the 11th hour, Rangers may have just been handed a huge boost in their pursuit of Doig. However, they need to be extremely quick if they are to land his signature before Sassuolo and Verona come to an agreement.
The Gers have been pretty quiet this January, missing out on several potential signings already following their season-long loan deal with Wolves for Fabio Silva. The Portuguese forward remains the club’s only signing.
With Barisic and Ridvan Yilmaz clearly no longer trusted by Philippe Clement, expressing his desire for a new left-back, the Ibrox club needs to leap on the second chance to sign Doig.
But Michael Beale’s summer spending spree could prove to be a hurdle for Clement in getting his main man, with little funds left over to sign the 2020/21 SFWA Young Player of the Year, with Marseille set to pay £4.3million.
However, the Belgian manager should do everything in his power to bring the player back to Scotland, rather than sit back and watch another transfer target make a deal with a different club.
In other Rangers news, Hugh Keevins has made an “odd” claim regarding a Gers first-team regular.