Rangers player’s Ibrox exit is surely now dead as club sign rival target

Scott Wright’s proposed move from Rangers to Pendikspor appears to be off the cards for good now after the Turkish Super Lig outfit completed the signing of another attacking midfielder.

As uncertainty continued to swirl concerning the future of Rangers’ seldom-seen former Scotland U21 international, Pendikspor’s head coach offered some valuable insight earlier this week.

Pendikspor, Osman Ozkoylu explained, looked to have missed on Scott Wright even after agreeing a £500,000 fee with Rangers. The reason, he would later suggest, is that the former Aberdeen forward was making demands that were beyond the Super Lig newcomers.

“Our transfer efforts continue,” Ozkoylu told Milliyet. “Unfortunately, every player we talk to wants high wages. They also consider the Saudi Arabian factor.

“The transfers of Bafetimbi Gomis, (Anthony) Modeste and Scott Wright did not happen due to their costs.”

Wright, of course, has also been linked with a move to the Middle East; Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq expressing an interest earlier in the window. Whether a club who have already brought in Jordan Henderson as well as former Celtic duo Moussa Dembele and Jack Hendry intensity their pursuit over the coming weeks remains to be seen.

Though if particular that window of opportunity is still open a crack, the Pendikspor door now appears firmly closed as far as Wright is concerned.

Especially after the Istanbul-based outfit confirmed the arrival of Oscar Romero on Wednesday.

The Paraguayan veteran, capped 55 times by his country, joins on a free transfer. It’s telling that Romero does his best work either out wide on the right or in a ‘number ten’ role. The two positions Scott Wright is probably also best utilised in.

Rangers boss Mick Beale confirmed in July that Rangers had ‘accepted a bid’ from Pendikspor. There could, however, still be a part for the 26-year-old to play beyond September. Fellow wideman Fashion Sakala is now gone. Thus removing one obstacle from Wright’s path.

Wright came off the bench late on in Rangers’ 2-1 Champions League qualifier victory over Servette yesterday.