Rangers transfer news: Borna Barisic exit deal interrupted amid Turkish rule change
Borna Barisic’s expected Rangers move to Trabzonspor has now been interrupted, according to Sporx in Turkey.
The outlet reported via their website on 30 March that the reduction to the Turkish Super Lig’s foreign player rule is behind the delay.
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) announced in January that the allowed number registered in squads is to reduce from 14 to 12 from the start of next season, but there will be no restrictions on numbers in a starting line up [A News, 11 January].
According to Sporx Trabzonspor are set to end the season with 13 foreign players once those returning from loan are factored in, causing a set back to Barisic’s agreement.
But amid an aggressive recruitment drive around half of that number are now slated to leave to make room for the new signings.
Rangers exit still on the cards for Ibrox defender?
If the TFF’s plan was announced in January then it won’t have come as a surprise to Trabzonspor at this stage, meaning it is unlikely to derail Barisic’s move entirely.
Unless their squad planning is extremely shortsighted then surely the Turkish Super Lig side would have factored this into their calculations when deciding to embark on a push for new signings ahead of the summer.
Barisic is seemingly the first on their list so if there is going to be space for anyone it would presumably be him.
And with indications from elsewhere in Turkey that the deal is already agreed this may just mean an extended wait before it is officially announced.
Either way it would be a major surprise if the 31-year-old left-back ended up remaining at Rangers past the end of his contract in the summer, so the administrative complication is probably unlikely to change anything on the Govan end.
He started the 3-1 victory over Hibs (30 March) in the injury-absence of Ridvan Yilmaz but with the Turk potentially back for the visit of Celtic next week (7 April) Barisic will be back on the bench once the 22-year-old is fit.
In other Rangers news, James Tavernier may be set to follow his fellow full-back out of the club and a pundit who loves him says he should be allowed to go.
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