Rangers target now linked with £17m PSG move, he's 'one of the best in Europe'
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There are a number of reasons why Philippe Clement’s Rangers always felt like a rather unlikely destination for one of the biggest stars of the Russian Premier League.
One, of course, being that British clubs are not exactly rushing to send millions over to Russia with the Ukraine conflict still ongoing.
Chelsea’s pursuit of now-Real Sociedad forwrad Arsen Zakharyan was ki-boshed back in 2023. As were Tottenham Hotspur’s attempts to sell centre-back Davinson Sanchez to Spartak Moscow. Manchester United might have made a move for Lokomotiv starlet Sergei Pinyaev, meanwhile, but that ran aground too.
And, while TBR Football were told over the summer that Edouard Spertsyan had caught Rangers’ eye, there was an issue of price as well as politics.
- READ MORE:Rangers Transfer History 2016-Present
Rangers were never likely to sign Krasnodar’s Edouard Spertsyan
The Krasnodar talisman revealed that £13 million was the fee placed on his head by the bosses of the Russian outfit at the time. So, even if Spertsyan was pulling the strings in a country not currently in the midst of a war, a move to Ibrox always seemed a little pie in the sky.
Philippe Clement’s side have money, yes. They spent hefty sums on the likes of Mohamed Diomande and Nedim Bajrami in the most recent transfer window. But, with a number of holes needing to be filled following the departure of so many senior players, Rangers were never going to blow the entirety of their budget on one player, no matter how talented.
There is, meanwhile, certainly no doubt about his talent. Edouard Spertsyan won Russia’s Midfielder of the Year award after scoring 11 goals and setting up seven more across 2024/25.
Spertsyan was likened to Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, too, due to his trademark fierce shooting from outside the penalty area. He certainly the former Rangers boss’ penchant for 25-yard blockbusters.
Reports now linking Spertsyan with French champions Paris Saint-Germain, meanwhile, not only highlights how highly the Armenia international is regarded across Europe, but also how ambitious Rangers alleged interest only a few months prior really was.
According to Russian publication RB Sport, PSG have included Spertsyan on their post-Christmas wishlist. Krasnodar reportedly want £17 million these days.
Rumours of a switch to the Parc des Princes for Spertsyan certainly takes on an extra dose of believability, meanwhile, when you consider that Luis Enrique’s Paris Saint-Germain side have already signed one Krasnodar ace this year for a substantial fee.
Goalkeeper Matvei Safonov joined for an alleged 20 million euros. The 14-cap Russia glovesman could find himself coming in for a run of games in PSG’s starting XI, meanwhile, should Gianluigi Donnarumma need some time off following a brutal facial injury he suffered during the 4-2 midweek win over Monaco.
Rangers turn to Marko Soldo as PSG target Spertsyan
"I like being here but I want to try to go to Europe while I have the chance,” Spertsyan told Tuttomercatoweb a few months back. “I don't know what will happen [but] I'm confident and I think I can do it. I mean, achieve even bigger goals."
Nikola Elich, the former director of Krasnodar’s academy, rates Spertsyan as ‘one of the best midfielders in Europe’ these days.
A more realistic, and affordable, option as far as Rangers are concerned however is Marko Soldo.
Rangers News have exclusively been told that NK Osijek could accept an offer of £2.5 million from Rangers for their all-action Croatia Under-21 international.
Darius Olaru has been linked with Rangers again too of late, albeit more tentatively. FCSB captain Olaru is keen to leave Romania this year after guiding the club formerly known as Steaua Bucharest to their first league title in nearly a decade.
