£8.6m 'Brazilian magician' sparks Rangers transfer swirls as Dor Turgeman teammate 'targeted' for Ibrox move
Reports in Brazil claim Rangers are interested in a Maccabi Tel Aviv forward – but this time it's not Dor Turgeman in the headlines.
It's his teammate, 21-year-old Weslley Patati, who has affectionately been dubbed the 'Brazilian magician' by his fans.
The Ibrox side have kicked their recruitment drive into life in recent days with Thelo Aasgaard and Emmanuel Fernandez arriving in a £6m double swoop this week. They've also brought in Max Aarons and are closing in on a deal for Conor Coady.
But strengthening further up the pitch is also part of the plan. We've heard Jamie Vardy's name mentioned while striker Turgeman is firmly on the radar.
However things appear to have taken a twist as multiple reports in South America claim Turgeman's teammate Patati is also an option being pursued.
It's claimed the Ibrox side are on a long list of clubs keen on the 21-year-old. AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands, Al Wahda and Al Ain in the UAE and Girona in Spain are all said to be keen alongside unnamed teams in the Premier League and Championship down south.
It's added that AZ and the UAE clubs have submitted offers up to the value of €4m (£3.5m) – but that the Tel Aviv club aren't entertaining that and want €10m (£8.6m) before they'll consider selling him.
That's due to the fact his former club Santos hold 40 per cent of his rights and would be due a sizeable chunk of whatever Maccabi sell him for.
Complicating the situation further is swirling interest in their other striker Turgeman – they don't want to lose both this window and see Patati, who starred last season with 13 goals and 10 assists, as a key figure in softening the blow should Turgeman depart.
A product of the famed Santos academy, Maccabi brought Patati in last summer and he's hit the ground running immediately with a stunning debut season that saw him dubbed the 'Brazilian Magician' by adoring fans.
He featured right across the forward line, though primarily from the right wing which is exactly where Rangers need to strengthen to replace Vaclav Cerny.
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