Rangers held transfer talks in Spain as Ridvan Yilmaz replacement mooted 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…
Derek Ferguson can understand Ridman Yilmaz’s stance on wanting to leave Rangers and thinks he could be sold to raise funds to sign Liverpool full-back Owen Beck.
Yilmaz has been a hot topic of discussion during the January transfer window and there are suggestions he could depart Ibrox to enhance his chances of making Turkey’s Euro 2024 squad.
Turkish journalist Ali Naci Kucuk said on 22 January that Galatasaray had put forward an initial £428,000 loan fee and a £2.5million option to buy to sign Yilmaz, who started and scored in Wednesday night’s win over Hibernian at Easter Road.
Rangers have been linked with several left-backs during the window, with Reds gem Beck, 20, said to be an option after he was recalled from a loan at Dundee, though had an approach knocked back (Daily Mail, January 4).
Ferguson, speaking exclusively to Ibrox News, thinks it would be a great scenario to allow Yilmaz to leave and Beck to arrive in his place.
“I mean obviously he’s (Yilmaz) got aspirations, he wants to be playing in the Euros and to do that you’ve got to be playing first-team football,” he said.
“And the one thing I think at Rangers is under Philippe Clement you’re not guaranteed first-team football you’ve got to be performing.
“With the winter break, they went over to La Manga there were obviously discussions that took place, he’s committed to the club and so he should be because he’s paid well enough that’s why you’re there as a football player.
“But again it’s a certain situation, if it’s right for Yilmaz to get away, guarantee he’s going to be playing week in, week out to get in that Turkish squad it makes sense, then we could get the boy Beck in.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty this time of year, he’s maybe not my cup of tea Yilmaz I think it took him far too long to settle, I think he struggles physically sometimes, I think he might be a target when teams play Rangers because of that kind of lack of height, lack of aerial prowess.
“So I think it would make sense if Yilmaz was to leave, get a few bob in and he gets himself playing at the Euros.”
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