Casper Widell confirms Ibrox talks as one Rangers player stands in way of deal

Casper Widell has confirmed that he was in talks with Rangers this summer.

The centre-back has been with Dutch side Excelsior since 2023, racking up 113 appearances for the club so far.

He is currently in his fourth season for Excelsior, competing in the Eredivisie for a third time, but could soon move elsewhere in Europe.

Derek McInnes knew that the Bears needed centre-back additions after the likes of Derek Cornelius and Nasser Djiga returned to their respective parent clubs.

Ben Godfrey and Olwethu Makhanya were brought to Ibrox, though the defensive area is still somewhere that may lack quality and depth.

However, Widell was on Rangers' radar even before McInnes arrived at the club, as the player has now revealed it all.

Who stopped Casper Widell joining Rangers?

It emerged that Rangers were interested in Widell as far back as Danny Rohl's time in charge at Ibrox.

The 23-year-old had interest across the globe, but was said to be keen on a move to Ibrox.

The former Sweden U21s star attracted attention after stepping up for Excelsior last season, playing 34 times in the Dutch top flight.

Speaking to Helsingborgs Dagblad about a potential move to Rangers, he revealed how one player stood in the way of a transfer.

Widell said: "I had some good conversations with them. Then they made a change of coach, but were still just as interested.

"But they had some rules in the club from higher up that they were not allowed to sign another defender until someone else left.

"It looked like one was going to leave. He was not in the match squad, and still is not. They offered him loans and stuff, but he refused to leave and still refuses. In the end, nothing came of it."

The player appears to be John Souttar, who demanded compensation to leave Rangers in the summer.

The centre-back was linked with the likes of Sheffield United and other Championship clubs, while an out-of-window move to Aris fell through.

Financial complications between him and the club mean he is still on the books at Ibrox, though he remains unlikely to play for McInnes.

What type of player have Rangers missed out on with Widell?

Widell is highly rated in Sweden and could play for the national team in the future.

He has helped Excelsior to seventh in the Eredivisie and is currently on track to help them qualify for Europe.

The defender started his career with Helsingborg before moving to Excelsior.

Former Sweden international Andreas Granqvist spoke highly of Widell after the latter signed a new deal with Helsingborg in 2021.

Granqvist said, as quoted by Helsingborg's official website: "Casper is young but very mature for his age.

"He is one of the biggest talents at centre-back in his country, and we are happy to be able to link him to us on a longer contract."

Widell has not closed the door on Rangers, but should the Bears return with a move in the future?