Rangers free to make January swoop for winger after collapse of £4.5m La Liga deal
10/10/2024 02:00 PM
Left-wing has been a problem area for Rangers so far this season and one fans hope will be addressed in the January window.
The club's two options in the position, Welsh winger Rabbi Matondo and Colombian alternative Oscar Cortes, are two of five players currently sidelined.
A failure to reach the Champions League also meant Rangers missed out on top summer target Abdallah Sima to Ligue 1 side Brest.
But after interim chairman John Gilligan pledged more funds for Rangers manager Philippe Clement this January, could the Ibrox club turn their attentions back towards Egypt?
Ibrahim Adel still available for transfer
Think back to the end of a hectic summer transfer window and you will remember Rangers links to Egyptian attacker Ibrahim Adel.
After a barnstorming Olympics, Rangers were said to be exploring a loan-to-buy deal for the 23-year-old Pyramids FC attacker.
North Africa is an area of the world that Rangers had already shopped in during the summer, signing Moroccan striker Hamza Igamane from local side FAR Rabat.
But after Rangers had an initial loan-to-buy bid turned down, it looked like Adel was off to sunny Spain to join La Liga outfit Getafe.
And then deadline day drama ensued.
The Ibrahim Adel deal collapsed at the final furlong with Getafe struggling to cough up the $1m (£766k) loan fee or meet Pyramids' $5m (£3.8m) permanent buy option demands for next summer.
It had Adel traipsing back to Egypt, with the winger saying 'God is sufficient for me' as he flew back to Cairo.
Given Ibrahim Adel – who is contracted to Pyramids until 2029 – could potentially be available for less than the £4.5m the Egyptian side wanted in the summer, it's one to watch heading into the January window.
Rangers need to find left-wing solution
Since the window closed Ibrahim Adel has remained in Egypt whilst Rangers continue to have issues at left-wing.
As a result of their injuries, it remains unclear when either Matondo or Cortes are going to be in a position to regular contribute.
Rangers also pulled the plug on a last-minute loan deal for Southampton's Sam Edozie when Sassuolo moved the goalposts with regards an initial loan-to-buy deal for permanent signing Nedim Bajrami.
It's clear that Rangers will look to add another wide attacker in the winter window and Clement will have money to do so.
That's according to interim chairman John Gilligan, who gave the Rangers manager his backing ahead of the January transfer window opening.
Whilst we're still a few months out from January just yet, we wonder if Ibrahim Adel remains on a Rangers shortlist with the Gers exploring different markets in their recruitment.
The Egypt U23 star was a key player at the Paris Olympics as the Egyptian side finished fourth, losing the bronze medal match 6-0 to North African rivals Morocco.
