Jefte ‘transfer value to plummet’ after Michael Stewart’s rant on Rangers star
Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen managed limited business during the winter transfer window and caused some frustration for Rangers fans in the process.
Lille defender Rafael Fernandes was the only addition, albeit a needed one at the time due to a lack of options in the centre of defence, but it was a lot less excitement than anticipated.
With James Tavernier, John Souttar, Tom Lawrence and Danilo all returning from injury in recent weeks, Clement only has Leon Balogun, Dujon Sterling and Neraysho Kasanwirjo left on the treatment table.
That is likely the reason for a number of rejected offers for stars amongst the Ibrox ranks, with Cyriel Dessers, Hamza Igamane, Ridvan Yilmaz and Jefte being linked with moves away.
The latter gained interest from Premier League side Chelsea during the winter transfer window, and the Gers were bracing themselves for a “shock” bid before the deadline [The Scottish Sun].
Rangers to regret Jefte transfer decision after Chelsea interest
It is unknown how much the three-time Premier League winners would have splashed on the young Brazilian, but with the transfer window now closed, his price tag may have already plummeted.
He is at a very early stage in his career, at just 21 years of age, but for someone playing for the Light Blues in the Europa League – one of the biggest stages in European football – his flaws have been highlighted.
During the embarrassing 1-0 defeat to Queen’s Park in the Scottish Cup, Michael Stewart ripped the left-back to shreds, and the Gers might already be regretting not cashing in on him last month.
“That is absolutely dire stuff, get out, block him, he sells himself,” he said via Premier Sports [9 February] as Clement’s side were knocked out of the competition.
Important decisions starting to pile up at Ibrox
With Yilmaz the only other option at left-back, it was unlikely that Clement would sanction an exit for Jefte unless reinforcement was signed before the window closed.
While his defensive attributions leave a lot to be desired, his work in the final third certainly gets the recognition it deserves, so finding a successor in such a short amount of time would not have been simple.
Whether its Koppen and Clement or Patrick Stewart, the difficult decisions are starting to pile up at Ibrox, and with the fanbase becoming more and more irate, something is bound to snap soon.
From possible sacking the manager to the club’s current player-trading model, plenty currently needs changing but it remains to be seen when those difficult decisions are going to be made by the hierarchy.