Despite his impressive goal total in the Rangers victory over the Hibs, Neil McCann believes that Ridvan Yilmaz would prefer to return to Turkey with Galatasaray because of his lack of playing time at the club.
During the January transfer window, the Turkish full back was linked to a move from Ibrox to Hellas Verona; however, Galatasaray is now the favourite to sign the 22-year-old. Yilmaz, who joined for £3.4 million from Besiktas with a fee that could rise to £5 million with add-ons, and fellow left back Borna Barisic are not allowed to leave without a replacement, according to Philippe Clement’s warning.
Although Barisic’s contract is expiring in six months, he has consistently been the preferred left back when healthy. However, Yilmaz had another opportunity to shine on Wednesday when Rangers visited Easter Road because the Croatian is still working his way back to full fitness. And to cap off an outstanding performance, he grabbed it with both hands as he scored the first goal in a 3-0 victory.
Speaking on BBC Sportscene, former Light Blues winger McCann expressed his belief that Yilmaz, who has only made 16 appearances this season after an injury-plagued 18 months in Glasgow, may be looking to move away. McCann speculated that the boy might be seeking a change of scenery due to his lack of use. When it comes to earning a spot on the team, he has had difficulty being consistent and free from injuries.
“I believe the boy would accept the offer if it were to return to Turkey; Galatasaray is one possibility. However, if they are unable to find a replacement, I believe they should keep him instead of selling. He demonstrated there was something there against Hibs. He is a full back who performs at the highest level going forward. That’s just his defensive one-on-one style.
“Philippe Clement has a talent for inspiring players to give their best. It would seem strange to me if they let Yilmaz walk out the door if they don’t have a replacement ready to come in because there’s still hope for him.
Anass Salah-Eddine, a promising player at Ajax, is one possible replacement. It has been reported that Rangers are vying for the 22-year-old with Torino of the Italian Serie A and “several other” clubs. Salah-Eddine is reportedly linked to Rangers, according to renowned transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
As the January transfer window draws to a close, Ajax is willing to loan out Anass Salah-Eddine, the player wrote. Born in 2002, Holland U21 was relegated to the back of the list by a number of teams, including Rangers and Torino, but negotiations are still ongoing.
Salah-Eddine has previously spoken about how, six years ago, he declined the opportunity to sign with Manchester United. At the age of sixteen, he moved from Eredivisie rivals AZ Alkmaar to Ajax. He commented, “I took that step because (Ajax) was a level higher than the rest of the Netherlands,” when asked about his choice to join Ajax after leaving AZ. Not that I was pushed at that age. More along the lines of what’s best for you. I was on the verge of visiting Manchester United overseas.
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