Manager opens door for £3.5m Rangers ace to sign for his club

Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk has reignited those Ridvan Yilmaz rumours by admitting that the Turkish Super Lig challengers are prioritising a left-back amid interest in the £3.5 million Rangers man. 

While Galatasaray’s vice president Erden Timur was reluctant to give anything away when asked about a potential move for Rangers’ number three in the final week of the window, his head coach was not quite so coy. Ridvan Yilmaz has been heavily linked with a return to Turkey, 18 months after leaving Besiktas for Rangers.

And Buruk is making no secret of the fact that a left-back is Galatasaray’s first ‘priority’ between now and the close of the Turkish transfer window on February 9th. Ridvan Yilmaz could still leave Rangers for Turkey “Our priority in the transfer is the left back,” Buruk says, via Sporx. “Because we are lacking in this region.” The Istanbul-based giants could find themselves even more lacking in the left-sided spot in the coming days too. Angelino, formerly of RB Leipzig and Manchester City, is reportedly on his way to Italy. Roma are supposedly one of the clubs showing an interest. Yilmaz, who himself appears to have missed out on a switch to Serie A after Hellas Verona shifted their focus elsewhere, could be the man tasked with stepping into Angelino’s shoes. Timur, meanwhile, admits that Galatasaray have the funds available to them to a couple of new additions before the window closes. Sporx, however, insist that there is still work to be done before reaching an agreement with Rangers. Galatasaray do not want there to be an obligation-to-buy clause in Yilmaz’s contract, preferring a ‘optional’ clause instead. Galatasaray could sell their own left-back “It is a period where there are very few options. (But) it seems that we can make one or two reinforcements at the moment,” Timur explains. “If we can find a player we can buy for (Buruk), we will. “Angelino’s agents are in talks. He is wanted by three or four teams. It would not be right for me to name the teams. The transfer can take place.” Rangers would likely bring in a replacement should Yilmaz depart, but the left-backs available to Philippe Clement appear to be drying up fast. Liverpool blocked their approach for Owen Beck, Kai Wagner stayed on at Philadelphia Union, David Jurasek left Benfica for Hoffenheim, and the Josh Doig is now a Sassuolo player.

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