Rangers have been handed another significant update on former transfer target Couhaib Driouech after the PSV winger was named in the club's preliminary matchday squad for Sunday's Eredivisie meeting with Groningen.
The development comes just days after Rangers walked away from a proposed move for the Morocco Under-23 international following concerns over an injury discovered during his medical.
Driouech had been expected to be sidelined for around six weeks from Rangers' perspective, but Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink has revealed that the 24-year-old has made a remarkably quick return to training.
“Driouech is simply with the match squad of PSV on Sunday,” Elfrink reported.
“For someone who was supposed to be sidelined for six weeks with an injury, he was already able to do a remarkably large amount at training this week. Now he's even already with the match selection.”
Driouech injury saga takes another turn
The latest development adds another layer to the dramatic collapse of Driouech's proposed move to Ibrox.
Rangers had been working towards a deal worth around £7 million for the PSV winger, with Driouech even travelling to Scotland and attending Rangers' Europa League clash with Jagiellonia Bialystok. The transfer subsequently collapsed after Rangers claimed concerns emerged during the medical process.
The key disagreement centred on the player's immediate availability. Rangers reportedly believed the injury could keep Driouech out for approximately six weeks, while PSV maintained that the problem was minor and that he would be available again in the short term.
That difference of opinion ultimately proved decisive despite the Gers prior knowledge of a slight knock before negotiations proceeded.
Rangers moved on after Driouech collapse
Rangers have since continued their search for attacking reinforcements, with Derek McInnes making it clear that he wants more pace, quality and invention in the final third.
The club had previously made an offer for Driouech, with reports suggesting PSV were looking for a fee in the region of €7-8 million.
Rangers have subsequently been linked with a number of alternative attacking targets as they look to strengthen before the transfer window closes including Girona winger Kim Min-Su.
Driouech's rapid return to the PSV squad will nevertheless attract attention, particularly given the contrasting assessments of his injury.
For Derek McInnes and the Ibrox support, seeing a player who was reportedly considered unavailable for around six weeks already back in a matchday squad less than a fortnight later is certainly a notable development in a transfer saga that has already generated plenty of debate.
Add us as a preferred source on Google