Summer Transfer thread - fun while it lasted!

[Gazza_8 233]

RANGERS have taken German World Cup star David Odonkor on trial after his contract with Spanish giants Real Betis came to an end.

 

The 27-year-old, who first came to prominence as a teenager at Borussia Dortmund, flew into Glasgow yesterday and will spend the next few days working at Murray Park.

 

He is a free agent after having an awful time with a series of knee injuries but is finally fit again and is hopeful of winning a deal with the SPL champions.

 

Odonkor, a right winger, is known for his electric pace and he lit up the Bundesliga when he broke into Dortmund's team at the age of 18.

 

His stunning form led to a €6 million transfer to Betis in 2006 and that same year he broke into Germany's team just in time for the World Cup finals.

 

Odonkor made his debut in one of his country's warm-up matches with Japan and went on to make four substitute appearances for the host nation at the main tournament.

 

His finest moment came in a group game with Poland, when his assist in stoppage time allowed Oliver Neuville to score the decisive goal in a 1-0 crucial win.

 

Since then, Odonkor's career has stalled somewhat and those knee problems have limited how much he has been able to play in recent seasons.

 

Even then, he still made the German squad for Euro 2008 and made one appearance as a replacement against Croatia.

 

With 16 caps, one international goal and a wealth of experience behind him, he has clear pedigree and manager Ally McCoist will be looking for him to impress.

 

Gers have already made three signings this summer in the shape of Juan Manuel Ortiz, Lee Wallace and Dorin Goian, with Alejandro Bedoya also penning a pre-contract.

[Gazza_8 233]

Our offer for the Hungarian boy at Anderlecht was rejected and rejected as well below acceptable. STV reporting that we bid �£2.5m. We'd be as well walking away now if that's true.

[Stefanovitch 0]

Our offer for the Hungarian boy at Anderlecht was rejected and rejected as well below acceptable. STV reporting that we bid �£2.5m. We'd be as well walking away now if that's true.

 

Anderlecht want �£4m and told Rangers this when we offered �£1.5m a week or more ago.

[metlika 0]

I don't want to be paying �£4m for him.

[Stefanovitch 0]

I don't want to be paying �£4m for him.

 

Nor do Rangers obviously.

 

Not saying I do but we knew the asking price. We must be relying on the player requesting a move.

[metlika 0]

Nor do Rangers obviously.

 

Not saying I do but we knew the asking price. We must be relying on the player requesting a move.

 

Think we have slightly been hoping for that with a few of our bids, players requesting to move. I doubt we will make another bid if we do it won't be much more than �£3m, well I hope. He might be a good player but I don't want a large chuck of money spend on one player again.

[ian1964 10,459]

Anderlecht want �£4m and told Rangers this when we offered �£1.5m a week or more ago.

 

 

RANGERS have slapped in a new �£2m-plus offer for Anderlecht centre-back Roland Juhasz and taken Germany winger David Odonkor on trial.

 

But they look set to hold fire on Dutch wide man Wesley Verhoek after the Den Haag ace insisted he won't make a decision on his future until the end of next week.

 

With hopes increasing that Arsenal will also allow Kyle Bartley to return to Ibrox on another year-long loan later this week, manager Ally McCoist has moved to strengthen his backline with an increased bid for Juhasz

 

The Hungarian ace is keen to quit Belgian football this summer and the Light Blues hope that putting in a concrete offer will give them the edge on interested sides from England and Germany.

 

Rangers have also had a long-standing interest in powerful wing ace Verhoek. But Blues sources last night insisted there have been no fresh bids since they had an initial proposal turned down a week or two ago.

 

Den Haag are believed to be looking for �£2m, but Rangers are not ready to stretch that far right now. As a result, they have brought in Odonkor for a few days' training as he searches for a new club.

 

The 27-year-old, who has 16 caps for Germany, left Spaniards Real Betis at the end of last term and is available on a free transfer.

 

Odonkor has been through three knee operations in recent seasons, though, and will have to prove his fitness to land any kind of deal.

 

However, clear difficulties surrounding a move for Verhoek make him well worth looking at. English clubs such as Aston Villa have been sniffing around Verhoek and McCoist is now waiting to see if they put forward anything meaningful.

 

With Verhoek stating that he will not even discuss his future until the second leg of a Europa League qualifier with Cypriots Omonia Nicosia next Thursday, there is no major rush for the SPL champions to slap more cash on the table.

 

The 24-year-old said: "Every footballer has his ambitions, and everyone knows what a big club Rangers is.But I am not thinking of that right now.I am totally focused on Thursday's game.

 

"I want to put all that behind me because we have a big game."I'm concentrating on Den Haag until Friday, and then we'll talk about it."

 

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/261730/Rangers-in-raid-for-Roland-Juhasz

[Stefanovitch 0]

WESLEY VERHOEK last night issued a come-and-get-me plea to Rangers boss Ally McCoist.

The Dutch winger, 24, has told SunSport he's desperate for a switch to the SPL champs after hearing of Gers' interest.

Ibrox gaffer McCoist has had a �£1million bid rejected and will have to up his offer with his club ADO Den Haag demanding �£2.6m.

 

Verhoek said: "I will only leave here for a big challenge and for me Rangers are a fantastic club.

"But we aren't there yet as the clubs have still to agree a fee and after that I'll see what happens.

"When we return from Cyprus I expect ADO will want to speak to me.

"Every footballer is ambitious and everyone knows Rangers are a big club."

Verhoek - who is also being tracked by Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa - played for Den Haag in last night's 3-0 defeat by Omonia in a Europa League qualifier in Cyprus.

 

He'll return to Holland today and hold immediate showdown talks with Den Haag chairman Mark van der Kallen in a bid to resolve his future.

 

Dutch clubs Utrecht and AZ Alkmaar are also chasing the winger Gers hope to lure to Ibrox.

Forest - whose boss Steve McClaren watched Verhoek in action last week - have already had a bid of �£750,000 rejected by the Dutch club.

 

Den Haag have slapped a �£2.6m price tag on Verhoek's head and his plea to McCoist came as Gers failed with another offer for Anderlecht defender Roland Juhasz.

 

As SunSport revealed the Hungarian international is high on the Ibrox wish list.

A �£2.5million bid was tabled, but an Anderlecht spokesman said: "We received a second bid from Rangers today which is way below our valuation.

 

"Rangers know our valuation for the player and haven't met it."

 

Anderlecht originally quoted the staggering sum of �£6m for Juhasz when McCoist first enquired. If they stick to that the deal is dead.

 

Meanwhile, Gers have taken German winger David Odonkor on trial while David Goodwillie and Kyle Bartley both remain on the radar.

 

Gers are reluctant to get into a bidding war for Goodwillie after we revealed yesterday Celtic are also chasing the Dundee United striker.

 

But Goodwillie is a player McCoist really wants and Gers will return to United with an improved offer for the 22-year-old hitman today.

 

As we also revealed yesterday, Bartley is close to rejoining Rangers on a season-long loan.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will make a final decision on Bartley's short-term future this weekend.

One player hoping to impress at Murray Park is Odonkor who has joined Gers on trial after his contract with Spanish side Real Betis ended.

 

Odonkor who has been capped 16 times by Germany, is fit again after a nightmare three-year injury spell.

Meanwhile, Dorin Goian will NOT be able to answer McCoist's SOS in Malmo next week, after UEFA blocked his bid to face the Swedes.

Rangers' new Romanian signing had hoped to cut through red tape and be available for the crunch Champions League clash.

But despite paperwork being registered with UEFA before last Monday's deadline one vital piece was missing - an accession card that Romanians need to work in the UK - and Goian won't be able to play.

 

Verhoek very interested in a move but again unless we substantially increase our bid it wont happen.

Edited July 29, 2011 by Stefanovitch

[chilledbear 16]

Is McCoist as frustrated as we are?

 

I don't see him agreeing with the way we are conducting out transfer business.

[Gazza_8 233]

We're linked with Rhys Murphy of Arsenal who is currently on trial at Middlesboro.