Rangers will not complete their proposed £7million move for Couhaib Driouech, with the club now stating that the transfer has collapsed because of an injury, despite the PSV winger having completed his medical and Rangers being satisfied with his condition 24 hours ago.
The Rangers Review have reported that the deal is off and that they will move on to alternative targets.
Personal terms had already been agreed with the Moroccan winger and Driouech had completed his Rangers medical after undergoing two days of testing in the UK.
However, the club now say they have decided against proceeding with the transfer because of an injury.
The development brings a dramatic end to a deal which appeared to be effectively completed earlier this week.
Medical passed with injury already known
The circumstances surrounding the decision raise questions, particularly because Rangers were aware of Driouech's fitness issue before the medical was completed.
Crucially, Rangers were understood to have been happy with the status of the injury following the medical and the player attended last night’s Europa League match and was spotted in the stands.
Driouech had therefore progressed through the medical process and was expected to say goodbye to PSV and complete his move to Ibrox.
The player had even spoken publicly about his excitement at joining Rangers, while manager Derek McInnes had confirmed before the medical that the club were “quite far down the line” with the deal.
That makes the subsequent decision to abandon the transfer all the more peculiar.
Did Europa League exit change the situation?
Rangers Review’s reported understanding is that Thursday night's defeat to Jagiellonia had no impact on the decision.
However, the timing inevitably raises questions. Driouech was present in the stands at Ibrox for the Europa League second leg after completing his Rangers medical.
Rangers subsequently lost 3-2 on aggregate after a 1-1 draw on the night, were eliminated from the Europa League and will now compete in European football’s third tier, the Conference League, for the first time.
That naturally changes the sporting and financial circumstances around the transfer.
The obvious question is therefore: if Rangers were satisfied with Driouech's medical status and the injury was already known, why would the club proceed through the medical process, have the player at Ibrox and then pull the plug shortly afterwards?
The timing will inevitably lead to speculation that the European exit played some part in the decision, even though that is not the club's official explanation.
It would be premature to state as fact that the defeat caused the deal to collapse, but the sequence of events makes the question difficult to avoid.
Rangers now looking elsewhere
The immediate consequence is that Rangers must return to the transfer market.
Driouech had been identified as a major attacking target and personal terms had already been agreed, meaning the club now have to find an alternative after spending considerable time working towards the PSV winger's arrival.
The collapse also comes at a difficult moment for McInnes.
Rangers are already dealing with a number of injuries, including the long-term absence of Youssef Chermiti, while Tuur Rommens is expected to miss several weeks.
The club had viewed Driouech as an important addition to the attacking options, but the proposed £7million transfer will now not go ahead.
Rangers will instead move on to other targets, including former Hearts full back James Penrice, who is expected to complete a loan move from AEK Athens, and Portland Timbers forward Kevin Kelsy on a permanent deal.
The situation represents a remarkable turnaround for Driouech. He completed his medical, had agreed personal terms and was in attendance at Ibrox expecting to complete his move with everything looking good to go.
However, within hours of Rangers' European elimination, however, the transfer was off.
The official explanation is an injury. Yet with Rangers already aware of that injury, having completed and accepted the medical, the timing of the decision, immediately after the Europa League exit, leaves a significant unanswered question over whether the change in European circumstances ultimately influenced the club, or the player’s, thinking.
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