Rangers miss out and now top summer target could soon cost £18m

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Zenit St Petersburg have confirmed the signing of Rangers target Mateo Cassierra while placing an £18 million release clause into his contract at the Russian Premier League champions, as reported by Sport Express. 

Have the Glasgow giants missed out on their one and only chance to lure Alfredo Morelos’ fellow Colombian to Ibrox?

With Zenit wasting no time in inserting a massive release clause into the four-year deal he has signed at the Gazprom Arena, the RPL winners obviously feel that Cassierra will soon be worth a damn sight more than the £4 million they have paid to lure him away from league rivals Sochi. 

Now, £4 million might have been attainable for Rangers. £18 million, however, certainly is not.

“The contract has been signed,” says CEO Alexander Medvedev. “Mateo is a Zenit player.” 

Zenit St Petersburg sign Rangers target Mateo Cassierra

Reports emerged after Rangers’ heart-breaking defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in May’s UEFA Europa League final that the Premiership runners-up had identified former Ajax youngster Cassierra as a potential addition to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s. strikeforce. A strikeforce that could lose the talismanic Morelos before August’s transfer deadline. 

“Rangers are definitely in need of a striker,” explained Russian reporter Roman Naguchev, pointing out that van Bronckhorst knows the 24-year-old well from his time in the Feyenoord hotseat.  

“Mateo Cassierra is very interesting for the club. The Rangers management has already contacted FC Sochi.”

Zenit quickly moved into pole position, however, securing a deal that will see a player who finished second in the RPL’s Golden Boot race take Yuri Alberto’s place in Sergei Semak’s frontline. 

“I think it’s a very good deal,” says Zenit legend Roman Shirokov (SE). “He has adapted to Russia.  

“He spent the last year and a half in a team that fought for a place in the top three. And he performed well there. For Zenit, this is a good reinforcement, especially in light of the departure of Yuri Alberto (to Brazilian outfit Corinthians).”

Rangers have now turned their attention to PAOK misfit Antonio Colak. The Croatian – who caught Rangers’ eye during last year’s Champions League qualifiers – has already agreed personal terms at Ibrox.