Hamza Igamane a Rangers 'risk' as surging Lille talks see transfer rivals pull out amid De Jong intel leak
Rangers have been told they are RIGHT not to risk Hamza Igamane for the Champions League qualifier with Panathinaikos next Tuesday.
It comes with the club standing firm on their £15million valuation of the striker amid ongoing talks with Lille - with reports suggesting one suitor has now dropped out of the race to land the 22-year-old.
Igamane impressed in his debut Ibrox campaign - netting 16 goals for the Light Blues after a £1.7m move from AS FAR last summer.
That has sparked discussions with the Ligue 1 side over a potential move - and Rangers new owners 49ers Enterprises are determined to land a bumper profit in the 22-year-old with the Glasgow giants holding out for a £15m payday.
And while Igamane has already agreed personal terms over a move no formal bid has been tabled - with Lille president Olivier Letang previously admitting the club were in no hurry to get a deal done.
But Foot Mercato now report that the club are re-launching their bid to land the striker and want him to be their "next" recruit.
With the Light Blues to command a bumper fee, former Ibrox striker Gordon Dalziel insists that it would be a gamble for Russell Martin to play the Morocco international.
However, he reckons Cyriel Dessers should be recalled despite interest from AEK. He told Clyde 1 Superscoreboard: 'If I was in the situation, for example Igamane, and they are talking figures around the £14-15m for him - I totally understand Rangers wouldn't risk him.
"But, I would certainly risk Dessers, because Dessers isn't going to get you anywhere near that.'
But the valuation from Rangers has reportedly seen Marseille rule out a move, with Le 10 Sport that Lille's Ligue 1 rivals are unwilling to go beyond €10million (£8.6million).
In terms of a replacement for Dessers and Igamane, Luuk de Jong is reportedly on Rangers' radar - as he looks to have pulled the curtain down on his time at PSV Eindhoven.
The 34-year-old had been training with the Eredivise champions to maintain his fitness as he weights up his options.
But the club have now handed his No. 9 jersey to Ricardo Pepi and signed Borussia Monchengladbach forward Alassane Plea as a successor.
Former Dutch defender Bram van Polen claims that he has heard whispers that De Jong's time is officially over at the Eredivise champions as he looks for an "adventure" away from the Netherlands.
He told ESPN's Voetbalpraat: "They've moved on now. I would understand a foreign adventure from his (De Jong's) perspective.
"And perhaps he's become worried about his minutes. Last year, you could already see things declining with Pepi. And now, with another title, he's saying goodbye on a high note."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Belfast Telegraph
an hour ago
- Belfast Telegraph
How SuperCup NI showcases top local talent alongside the stars of the future from across the water
Since its very inception in 1983, the SuperCup NI, under its various titles, has been built on attracting big-name teams to Northern Ireland's north coast. The fact that Rangers, Newcastle United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and the famous 1991 Manchester United squad containing David Beckham, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes et al were written in the winner's records within the first decade of the tournament's foundation bears that out clearly.
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Rangers fans unveil huge display for first league match
The Ibrox side begin their Scottish Premiership campaign against Motherwell. And ahead of kick-off, Rangers fans transformed the away end at Fir Park into a sea of red, white and blue. A large banner spanning the entirety of the stand simply read: "Rangers". Read more: Supporters had been urged to wear blue by the Union Bears group for the first match of the league season. The club endorsed the campaign, sharing the message in their details for the match. A message on the club website read: "Supporters may be aware of a fan-led campaign encouraging those in the away section at Fir Park to wear blue. "The club is pleased to highlight this initiative and encourages all travelling fans to take part as we begin our league campaign."
Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Rangers' potential Champions League play-off opponents revealed
This is if they beat Viktoria Plzen in the third qualifying round of the Champions League. Victory over the Czech side would place Rangers just one tie away from the league phase of the [[Champions League]]. However, a loss would see them drop into the Europa League group stage. The challenge ahead is acknowledged, with manager Russell Martin vowing a "right go" at the Champions League. He said: "We've got through a really difficult tie over two legs with a win and we've qualified for the Europa League. "And we can attack the Champions League now and have a right go. "I'm incredibly proud of them, the team, the staff, the fans were amazing, so it's a big night for us." Rangers will be unseeded if they triumph over Viktoria Plzen and will find themselves in the league path draw. This means they could come up against either the winners of the Benfica and Nice clash or the victors of the Red Bull Salzburg versus Club Brugge match. These games are scheduled for August 6 and August 12. The identity of their potential opponents will be confirmed alongside the outcome of the Rangers versus Viktoria Plzen tie. The draw on Monday will provide Rangers fans with a clearer picture of which tie to monitor, with the possibility of facing the winners if they too advance.
