Rangers deal 'unlikely' amid major transfer roadblock as former managerial target lifts lid on Ibrox talks
Rangers are unlikely to see a permanent move materialise for the defender.
Rangers’ loan star Nasser Djiga is set for an uncertain summer, with a permanent Ibrox move in doubt as parent club Wolverhampton Wanderers plan to closely assess his talents during pre-season.
The Burkina Faso international endured a difficult start to life under former head coach Russell Martin, and was sent off on his league debut at Ibrox during a 1-1 draw with Dundee. However, he has grown into one of the club’s most consistent performers in the second half of the campaign.
Forming a strong partnership with Emmanuel Fernandez at the heart of defence in recent weeks, he’s played a key role as Danny Rohl’s side have moved to within a point of league leaders Hearts with just six games left to play.
Djiga, 23, was signed by Wolves from Red Star Belgrade in January 2025, with the English Premier League outfit shelling out a fee of around £10million to bring him to Molineux. However, after starting just five games, the Midlands club sanctioned a loan deal to allow him to spend the season at Rangers, but did not include any option to buy.
Rooted to the bottom of the English Premier League, a 4-0 defeat to relegation rivals West Ham United on Friday night left Rob Edwards’ side 15 points adrift of safety, and Wanderers now look destined to play their football in the EFL Championship for the first time since the 2017/18 season.
A section of the Rangers support had hoped the club could discuss a permanent deal for Djiga, but the hope of a summer transfer appears unlikely, with reports in the Midlands claiming the club is ready to bring him back into the first-team fold in pre-season to assess his abilities.
A report from the Express & Star claims Djiga is now “expected to return to Wolves ahead of next season”, with head coach Edwards wanting to “run the rule” over the loanee before deciding his next move. It is understood the club would look to recoup as much of the £10million fee they paid for his services just 18 months ago if they were to consider a sale anyway, with Rangers “unlikely” to spend that amount in order to lure him to Govan on a permanent basis. His reported £70,000 wages also prove a major roadblock.
Meanwhile, former managerial candidate Davide Ancelotti has revealed how close he came to managing Rangers as he lifted the lid on the summer discussions he held with the Ibrox hierarchy. The Italian head coach, son of Brazil manager Carlo, was one of the leading favourites to take the reins in the summer prior to the appointment of Martin in July.
Moving to Botafogo shortly afterwards, the 36-year-old lasted just five months in charge of the Brazilian outfit and was sacked in December after winning just 15 of 33 games. He is now on the lookout for his next managerial role.
“Yeah, it (Rangers) was a club that I had conversations with,” Ancelotti told Football Daily. “There is an interview process, as always, now in modern football, where you have to go through. I went through this process well, but then at the end, they had to pick one, and they didn’t pick me. But the process went well, and the relationship with the club is good, and I appreciate the fact that they considered me for the job.”
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.