Ridvan Yilmaz looks increasingly likely to be leaving Rangers in this transfer window, with Philippe Clement seeing left-backs linked on an almost daily basis.
The Gers boss has a decision to make though as clubs circle around the 22-year old who clearly has potential if you don’t have to defend long and high balls for 90-minutes every week, his recent form backs this up
Rangers shouldn’t be in a rush to sell, but Galatasaray has reportedly “made official contact” with Ridvan Yilmaz after previously being acknowledged as having an interest, according to Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu.
He is young, has a long-term contract, and is being pursued by two Serie A teams, Torina and Verona.
Without a doubt, we shouldn’t sell to the highest bidder.
Purchased from Besiktas for an initial £3.4 million, his progress has only been impeded by injury, as we have seen in recent weeks.
Terrier-like in defence, he must use his quickness to put opponents under pressure, which helps launch deep-range attacks.
His ability to carry the ball effectively and his capacity to switch roles and contribute to midfield have both been demonstrated.
Rangers are obviously trying to make changes at left back, as players like Kai Wagner, Fredrick Oppegard, and Josh Doig have all been mentioned as potential replacements for Ridvan Yilmaz.
Given his demand, there is little likelihood that Borna Barisic’s lucrative contract will be extended.
Younger, stronger, more suited players are available for less money.
Style-wise, Ridvan complements Clement well, but as we’ve seen, every domestic team we play against looks to isolate him one-on-one and competes in the air for flick-ons while playing long balls.
It’s simple but efficient.
Ridvan is reportedly homesick, so it’s likely that he would consider going back to Turkey, but it would need to be a good fit for the Rangers.
If not, I would be happy to have the small defender cover our left flank for the upcoming few seasons.
Leave a Reply