NafisaRangers supporters expected this summer to be all about closing the gap on Celtic.
With Derek McInnes overseeing a major rebuild at Ibrox and several new faces already arriving, there has been genuine optimism that the Light Blues are finally putting together a squad capable of challenging for major honours once again.
But while Rangers continue searching for more attacking reinforcements, events across Glasgow have suddenly piled fresh pressure on the Ibrox hierarchy.
One player believed to be firmly on Rangers’ radar has now become the centre of an Old Firm transfer battle—and Celtic have publicly admitted they are pushing hard to get the deal done.
If Rangers were hoping to quietly work on the transfer behind the scenes, those plans may now have been blown apart.
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has openly confirmed that the Scottish champions are actively pursuing Frosinone winger Fares Ghedjemis, revealing that the club have “a very, very strong interest” in the Algerian attacker.
The Hoops boss also disclosed that Celtic are “genuinely making really good progress” in negotiations, suggesting a deal could now be moving towards its final stages.
Those comments will undoubtedly raise alarm bells inside Ibrox.
Reports in recent weeks have linked Rangers with the 23-year-old winger, who enjoyed an outstanding campaign by helping Frosinone secure promotion to Serie A after scoring 15 league goals.
His pace, direct running and eye for goal have made him one of the most sought-after wide players available this summer, with both Glasgow clubs believed to have been monitoring his situation.
However, Celtic’s decision to publicly acknowledge their interest now places the pressure firmly on Rangers.
The Light Blues must either accelerate their own pursuit or risk watching another highly-rated target make the move across the city instead.
The situation comes at a particularly difficult time for Derek McInnes.
Following Rangers’ 1-1 draw with Dundee United in the opening Scottish Premiership fixture, the Rangers manager openly admitted that his squad still requires further additions before the transfer window closes.
While Rangers have already completed several impressive signings this summer, McInnes made it clear that strengthening the wide areas remains one of his biggest priorities.
That need was evident at Tannadice.
Despite dominating large spells of possession, Rangers struggled to consistently create opportunities from the flanks, with a lack of natural width and attacking creativity preventing them from turning their dominance into three points.
Defensive depth also remains another concern following Ben Godfrey’s injury scare on his competitive debut.
The arrival of Olwethu Makhanya has helped address one issue, but Rangers are still expected to enter the market for further defensive reinforcements before the window closes.
For now, though, attention is firmly focused on Ghedjemis.
Should Celtic succeed in completing the transfer, Rangers would not only miss out on one of their reported targets but would also strengthen their biggest rivals in an area McInnes himself has identified as needing urgent improvement.
With Celtic claiming they are making significant progress, the coming days could prove crucial in determining where one of this summer’s most exciting attacking talents will be playing his football next season.
Nafisa
