Rangers: Agent now set for Italy to agree Borna Barisic exit amid Trabzonspor interest
Borna Barisic’s agent is set to be in attendance at the Transfer Room event in Rome next week to sort out his exit from Rangers in the summer, according to Derek Clark.
The Rangers Review journalist reported via Twitter on 12 March that interest from Trabzonspor is “real” but dismissed reports the defender’s representative is on his way to Turkey imminently for talks.
Instead he is due to head to Italy for the summit to be held between 18-20 March and is expected to “firm up” the Croatian’s next destination, with his current Ibrox deal set to expire at the end of the season.
Clark wrote: “Trabzonspor interest in Borna is real. Although his agent isn’t flying out to Turkey in coming days.
“Reliably informed Barisic’s agent will be in attendance at the Transfer Room event in Italy. Likely to firm up Borna’s potential destination in the summer.
Borna Barisic set for Rangers departure despite Philippe Clement position
It was Ridvan Yilmaz who was heavily linked to a departure back to his native Turkey during the January transfer window, but the 22-year-old stayed and has since established himself as the clear top choice at left-back.
Barisic has been in talks over a new deal for months, with Philippe Clement said to want his experience kept around [Football Scotland, 3 November], but having lost his place he has been increasingly tipped to depart.
As an experienced second choice there would certainly be mileage in a short-term extension for the 31-year-old, and it is less than ideal to lose yet another player for nothing if his agent does complete a deal for him to move on.
But he is free to speak to foreign clubs and has been since January, so developments in the window and the fact that he has only started three SPFL games in 2024 have likely tipped the balance towards an exit.
Rangers are expected to be signing Brazilian full-back Jefte in the summer after a January move fell through thanks to difficulties with loan club APOEL Nicosia, and Yilmaz has been mooted as a possible big-money asset to sell as a result.
But if Barisic is on his way it may mean the Turk is set to remain for the long-term, having now developed to become the player he was expected to be two summers ago.
In other Rangers news, a pundit has reacted to a “shocking” kung fu incident involving a Light Blues player.
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