Rangers defender David Bates will leave Ibrox at the end of the season after agreeing a pre-contract agreement with Hamburg.
Rangers manager Graeme Murty has been quoted by the Press Association as saying that the Gers could not match Hamburg’s offer for David Bates.
The 21-year-old defender has joined German side Hamburg on a pre-contract basis, which will see the Auchenhowie academy product leave at the end of the season on a free transfer.
Bates has arguably been Rangers’ best centre-back this season, with Bruno Alves and Fabio Cardoso struggling to hit the headlines since their summer move to Ibrox and Russell Martin at fault for a few goals conceded by Rangers.
Bates’ move to Hamburg was confirmed by the German club on Thursday and Murty stated although Rangers were in talks with the defender over extending his stay at Ibrox, they simply could not compete with Hamburg’s offer.
“We we’re in negotiations with David and wanted him to stay – but Hamburg have come along and made an offer we can’t match,” Murty said.
The 6ft 3in centre-back is currently out injured and will not face Old Firm rivals Celtic on Sunday afternoon at Hampden Park, in what is the Gers’ last chance to stop Celtic from completing a second successive treble.
Bates is just one of a handful of British stars chancing their arm in German football, with former Man City Jadon Sancho joining Borussia Dortmund and West Ham’s Reece Oxford on loan at Gladbach. Everton’s Ademola Lookman is also in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig.
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