Rangers: January transfer window door opens for Million Manhoef deal amid confirmed Brighton news
Rangers look to have been given a boost in their hopes of completing a January move for Million Manhoef after his current club completed a new signing.
The Scottish Sun reported on 29 December that the Light Blues were “leading the race” to sign the versatile Dutchman from Vitesse Arnhem for £2.5million, who can play as an attacking winger or a left-back.
Philippe Clement has been looking for help in both areas, and while the defensive question appears to be decreasing in importance with the expected arrival of Jefte from Fluminense [Fabrizio Romano, 26 January] and the potential for Ridvan Yilmaz to remain past the deadline, wide forward areas have only become a greater need with the long-term injury to star man Abdallah Sima.
Rangers have reportedly been tracking the “highly-rated” 22-year-old for 12 months and were said to be ahead of Leicester City and Preston North End to do a deal for him.
While one Brighton loanee has been a vital part of the set up at Ibrox this term in Sima, it is another temporary exit from the Premier League side that could help Rangers fill the gap left behind him.
The Seagulls confirmed on 22 January that Romanian winger Adrian Mazilu had joined Vitesse for the rest of the season.
That could therefore help clear the way for the Eredivisie side to let Manhoef leave this month for Ibrox, with Clement having already admitted the club is looking to be busy right up to the transfer deadline [4 Lads Had A Dream, 27 January].
Fabio Silva has arrived on loan from Wolves and Mohamed Diomande has arrived in Glasgow on a loan-to-buy deal for FC Nordsjaelland that is set to cost a “huge” £4.5m.
But with a title race brewing and two other cup competitions still in play after having lifted the League Cup trophy last month the squad could do with further reinforcements in the face of a never-ending injury crisis.
Manhoef has featured primarily in attack rather than defence for Vitesse this season and despite some at the club fearing relegation if he were to leave, the Scottish Sun report that with 18 months left on his contract they would be open to offers.
Football Scotland reported on 23 January that no official approach from Ibrox had yet been made, but if they were waiting for movement at the other end it looks to have happened in the form of Mazilu’s signing, who had made 25 appearances for FCV Farul Constanța over the first half of the season before his move to the Amex and immediate loan to the Netherlands.
In other Rangers news, a first-team player is now set to jet out for a January Ibrox exit ahead of the deadline according to BBC Sport.
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