£17m Brazilian Saudi finds himself at centre of Rangers

All of January, there has been a lot of speculation about the Rangers left back position, but the projected £17 million (€20 million) move of Renan Lodi seems to be at the center of any controversy.

Al-Hilal, the top team in the Saudi Pro League, is reportedly in advanced negotiations to pay Marseille for the 25-year-old Brazilian left-back.
Gennaro Gattuso, the manager of Marseille and a former midfielder for Rangers, supports this theory and acknowledges that the left-back’s absence from the team’s 1-1 draw with Strasbourg was due to it.

Gattuso confirmed, “Yes, negotiations for Lodi are still ongoing.” He didn’t play because we didn’t want to take any chances.

“I can’t say more; there are negotiations going on.”
Josh Doig is acquired by Marseille as Renan Lodi prepares to leave.

Some might be scratching their heads and asking what this has to do with Rangers but Renan Lodi’s potential trade from Marseille to Saudi could essential to Ibrox instability in the left-back position.
With those money, Marseille might then try to recruit Josh Doig, a young left-back from Scotland who has been strongly linked to a move to France and currently plays for Verona.

Fabrizio Romano claims that Marseille and Josh Doig have already reached an agreement, although the Italian journalist denies any connection between Rangers and the former Hibs defender.

According to Sky Sports, the French team would spend up to £4.3 million to finalize the 21-year-old’s transfer.
Verona is linked to Rangers left defender Ridvan Yilmaz.

What does that mean for the Rangers team then?

Well after Renan Lodi moves to Al-Hilal from Marseille, and Josh Doig departs Verona for Ligue 1, the Italians would then theoretically be poised to move for Rangers star Ridvan Yilmaz.

The Turkish left-back, 22, had been linked with a permanent move out of Ibrox this January but the latest reveals Verona aim to secure a loan agreement.
Heart of Midlothian vs. Rangers FC: A decisive Scottish Premiership match
Ian MacNicol took the picture/Getty Images

The fact that Ridvan Yilmaz began and played 45 minutes for the team in an earlier Saturday preseason friendly against Hertha Berlin has compounded the whole situation, though.

Many names are being connected to Rangers in the left-back position, but we don’t anticipate any movement in or out of Ibrox until the pieces start to fall.

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