Motherwell will not sanction the sale of Tawanda Maswanhise today, according to a report from Graeme McGarry in the Herald, dealing a blow to late window hopes of movement involving both Rangers and Celtic.
The Fir Park club are standing firm on their position that it is simply too late in the window to allow their leading attacker to leave. With insufficient time to identify and secure a replacement, Motherwell have made it clear internally that Maswanhise will not depart before the deadline.
That stance comes despite strong admiration from Ibrox and growing domestic interest after Rangers missed out on their primary Scotland-based forward target, Kieron Bowie, who has joined Hellas Verona in a deal worth around €6 million from Hibernian, despite Rangers asking to be kept informed of any developments earlier in the window.
Maswanhise had been viewed as a viable alternative profile, powerful, direct and capable of scoring goals consistently while leading the line, but crucially, there has still been no official communication between Rangers and Motherwell at this late stage.
Financially, the picture also appears complex. While previous reports suggested Motherwell might consider offers upwards of £3 million, sources within the club indicate it would take closer to double that figure to even begin discussions at this late point.
Given Maswanhise’s output, 18 goals already this season, and his central role in a campaign that has the Steelmen sitting fourth and within reach of both Rangers and Celtic, their reluctance is understandable.
For Rangers, this is another example of the striker market narrowing as the hours tick down. A deal has been agreed in principle for Ryan Naderi, but his move from Hansa Rostock is expected to take place in the summer, with the German club unwilling to lose him during their promotion push.
Meanwhile, a move for Cameron Archer looks unlikely, with Southampton not prepared to let the forward depart without securing a replacement.
Interest in Joel Piroe has also cooled, with the Leeds United striker keen to remain in England’s top flight.
The knock-on effect of these stalled routes is being felt internally at Rangers, particularly around Danilo, whose anticipated loan exit is now in doubt as the club weigh the risk of reducing their attacking options during the title run in.
Maswanhise, then, becomes another name in a growing list of forwards admired but effectively unavailable. With Motherwell holding their ground and Rangers facing roadblocks elsewhere, the Ibrox side may have to continue the season relying largely on their current resources up front.
As ever on deadline day, circumstances can shift rapidly, and a late breakthrough elsewhere in the market could yet alter the picture before the window closes.