Pedro Caixinha was determined to bring Ghanaian defender Rashid Sumaila to Rangers – but he could now join Celtic instead.
Rangers looked certain to hand Rashid Sumaila his big break in Europe during the summer transfer window.
According to the Daily Record, Pedro Caixinha had made the Ghanaian centre-back one of his top targets during his first period of recruitment at Ibrox, having worked with Sumaila during the defender’s loan spell at Al Gharafa last season.
The 24-year-old’s agent even admitted, per the Daily Record, that Rangers had made a move for his client – and insisted that he would be more than happy to work with Caixinha again in the Scottish top flight.
Just a few weeks later, however, Ghanasoccernet reported that Rangers suddenly dropped their interest due to ‘unexpected complications’ – a rather vague term that does not really explain just why Sumaila’s move to Scotland suddenly fell through.
From blue to green
Though with the January transfer window a month away, there remains a very real chance that Sumaila could finally get his move to Glasgow. But with Celtic, rather than bitter Old Firm rivals Rangers.
Football Ghana reports that Celtic too had run the rule over Sumaila in the summer and are interested in signing the aggressive, six-time international in the New Year. Sumaila, who has been in superb form for Kuwaiti side Al Qasdia this season, is also understood to be on the radar of Newcastle United.
But with Brendan Rodgers making a new defender his top priority in January, per the Scottish Sun, it seems that Celtic will go all out to get Sumaila in green and white.
And if Sumaila goes down as the latest inspired Celtic swoop, Rangers fans will be left wondering why their club did not seize their chance to get a deal for the defender over the line.
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