Rangers have three options as Chelsea start Jefte transfer talks
01/28/2025 02:00 AM
Rangers’ player trading model is one that has been talked about for a long time but never really taken seriously until Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen arrived at the club.
There is something of an Ibrox exodus as academy players on the fringes and big earners are moved out of the squad to make room for new faces.
With Tom Lawrence and Rabbi Matondo expected to leave Rangers, a surprise development has seen Chelsea linked with a move for Jefte.
Rangers options as Chelsea make Jefte interest known
According to reports from Brazil, the Premier League outfit have already made an approach for Jefte, but not official bid has been put on the table – if a deal can't be agreed now, they are happy to wait until the summer.
Since then, The Rangers Review has confirmed the interest and claimed that talks have already taken place between Chelsea and the player’s representatives.
Koppen spoke about moving players like Jefte on quicker if suitable bids come in, but he wouldn't have expected interest quite so soon.
This leaves the Rangers technical director with three options, should the young full-back be sold.
1) Do nothing
Choosing to do nothing probably wouldn't go down well given how consistent Jefte has been in terms of availability.
Robbie Fraser is on loan at Livingston and would have been the natural successor to step up to cover Ridvan Yilmaz, but the diminutive Turk is far from robust.
It's a long way to go to the summer if the plan is to promote Fraser, although a short-term loan could bridge the gap.
2) Get creative and put a square peg in a round hole
Clement could get creative and move Clinton Nsiala out to left-back.
The France youth international has grown into a regular fixture in the starting XI but maybe doesn't quite have the physicality needed to play in the middle just yet.
His passing range, composure on the ball and reading of the game has belied his inexperience at senior level and these attributes could be utilised on the flank.
3) Sign the next player on the scouting list
Any club with a proper trading model should have contingency plans.
As technical director, Koppen has been working behind the scenes at Auchenhowie long enough now that possible replacements for every position will have been assessed.
Jefte might have been a favourite of Koppen for a while, but this doesn't make the Brazilian the only young, athletic, and attack-minded left-back that he will have had his eye on.
