'More ambitious' - Rangers target opens up on summer interest as he reveals why he rejected Ibrox move
Simon Deli has suggested he chose a move to Club Brugge over Rangers last summer because joining the Belgian side was a "more attractive" prospect.
The Ivorian defender, who has had spells with Sparta Prague, Ceske Budejovice and Pribram in Europe since leaving first club Africa Sports d'Abidjan, told the Nord-Eclair newspaper in Belgium about the transfer interest last summer, when he was still at Slavia Prague.
Deli captained the Czech side against Chelsea, and his performances for the Prague outfit saw him linked with a move away.
The 28-year-old, who has 14 caps for his country, said: "Last summer, I had three main options.
"Either I stayed [at Slavia Prague] with a great wage and the assurance of being captain, or I left for Rangers or Club Brugge to take up a new challenge.
“Club Brugge was a more attractive, more ambitious prospect for me. That's why I went for it."
Rangers ended up buying Filip Helander from Bologna, who was a first-team regular until succumbing to a foot injury in the Betfred Cup final loss to Celtic at Hampden in early December.