Rangers might already have the perfect Barisic substitute on staff.
The team appears to be prepared for life without their dependable left-back, and as Yilmaz’s future at Ibrox is also uncertain, the Gers were already planned to sign a left-back but were searching for creative ways to circumvent the market and complete a transaction at a low cost.
But that optimism has now been dashed.
Gers target has decided on his next team already.
One of the reported alternatives was FC Twente left-back Gjis Smal, who is expected to be out of contract with the Dutch side this summer.
Rangers might have used their financial clout for other transfer market transactions by using this to their advantage and seize the 26-year-old on a free transfer. Although they had expressed interest in signing the Dutchman in January, they finally decided to postpone signing him.
| How Smal compares to current Rangers options (23/24) | |||
| Borna Barisic | Ridvan Yilmaz | Gjis Smal | |
| Appearances | 20 | 24 | 17 |
| Goals | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Assists | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Tackles + interceptions (per 90 mins) | 3 | 1.95 | 2.55 |
| Progressive passes (per 90 mins) | 4.2 | N/A | 6.9 |
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims that Small has already decided to leave Twente this summer, but he isn’t going to Ibrox.
He has chosen to remain in the Netherlands instead, where he will sign a contract with Feyenoord. Despite the lack of formal confirmation, Romano has taken to X to clarify that he has a “verbal pact in place” and that he is “nearly done” with the arrangement to join as a free agent after Smal “turned down a bid from abroad,” which might very well be from Ibrox.
This news will be devastating to Clement, who will now need to go back to the drawing board and look for a left back, or come up with a last-minute deal to keep Barisic.
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