Rangers are now trying to hijack a deal to sign a new forward for Philippe Clement in the final hours of the transfer window, it has emerged, as the Scottish giants look to bolster their ranks for the second half of the campaign.
Rangers set for late transfer flurry
After a disappointing start to the Scottish Premiership season, Clement’s side sit 10 points behind league leaders Celtic having played a game more than the Parkhead outfit.
Though there has been significant improvement at Ibrox in recent months, there is still a feeling that the squad requires improvement in the winter window, with the only deal completed so far this month being a move to sign defender Rafael Fernandes, who has joined from Lille.
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The Glasgow Rangers youngster caught the eye with an impressive performance.
Speaking after the 4-0 win over Ross County, Clement remained hopeful that he would be joined by other new faces in the final hours of the window.
“We had meetings about players who have the level to help the team and to help us get to the next level. We will see now in the next couple of hours what’s possible for the club.
“It’s not my decision to take. We had clear talks about profiles, about players. Then it’s about the club, if it’s possible or not. I will see.”
One player that has been linked with a move is Chelsea defender Aaron Anselmino, and Rangers have been handed renewed hope over securing him on loan after it emerged that Marseille considered a deal for the centre-back to be off, having previously been the favourites to land the youngster.
And that is not the only deal that Clement’s side are hoping to hijack in the final hours of the transfer window.
Rangers eye 11th-hour hijack move for striker
That is according to a fresh report coming out of Belgium, which claims that Rangers are trying to hijack a move to sign 24-year-old striker Yorbe Vertessen in the coming hours.
Vertessen, who began his career in the Netherlands, currently plies his trade for German top-flight outfit Union Berlin, where he has been praised by his coach for having a “nose for goal” despite having just a single Bundesliga strike to his name so far this season.
|
Yorbe Vertessen in Bundesliga 24/25 |
|
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
17 |
|
Starts |
7 |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Assists |
0 |
|
Minutes per goal/assist |
714 |
Now, the 24-year-old seems set to leave the Bundesliga this month, with reports claiming that he is on course to join Red Bull Salzburg on a permanent deal. However, speaking on X, football journalist Pieter-Jan Calcoen suggested that there was still hope for Rangers.
Clement’s side “tried to convince Vertessen to move to Glasgow”, he reported, adding that they would now need a “huge charm offensive” to try and persuade him to break off the agreed move to Salzburg in order to complete a switch to Rangers, otherwise they are “too late”.
Any move for another striker could see Cyriel Dessers moved on amid previous interest from Serie A in the forward, who divides opinion at Ibrox. At the moment though, that looks unlikely.
