Rangers manager Derek McInnes has welcomed winger Daisuke Yokota to the club, but insists he will be even happier if he can secure a deal for PSV Eindhoven's Couhaib Driouech as well.
The Ibrox club completed a £3m transfer for Hannover's Japan international Yokota, fulfilling McInnes' demand for a right-sided winger. Now they are pushing to add a quality option on the left, with PSV having rejected an initial bid for Driouech.
PSV negotiations underway
Dutch sources confirm that official talks have opened between Rangers and the Eredivisie champions in the last 24 hours. It is understood that PSV's £6m valuation is expected to be met as McInnes ramps up his summer recruitment.
The 24-year-old Moroccan has been on Rangers' radar for several seasons and has been told he can move to Glasgow if the club doubles the fee they paid Excelsior two years ago. RB Salzburg are also interested, but Rangers are moving quickly to beat former boss Danny Rohl's new club to his signature.
More targets on the list
Rangers are also considering a fresh offer for Frosinone's Fares Ghedjemis after an £8m bid was rejected for the player, who is also being chased by Celtic. Both Driouech and Ghedjemis fit the calibre of player McInnes is after.
McInnes said: "We're currently looking at several wide players. These talks and conversations are on-going. I don't really want to be too specific on any one player but a few reports recently have been accurate and we're keen to just bring the best we can. Obviously the owner, Andrew Cavenagh has been really supportive. We want to try and be as ambitious as we can. We just need to see how this all lands for us with several targets. Obviously we're not going to sign everyone we go for. But if we do get a bid accepted for any of the ones that's been mentioned and a couple that haven't been mentioned, then I'll be delighted to get these players in as soon as possible."
Yokota could debut in Europa League qualifier
Yokota could make his debut in Rangers' opening Europa League qualifier against Jagiellonia Bialystok tonight, after the club rushed to register the 26-year-old in time. Fellow new signing Olwethu Makhanya is also in line to feature at the Chorten Arena, replacing the injured Ben Godfrey.
McInnes said: "Daisuke, we hope, will help fill a void in a key position that we currently really need at the club. Getting Daisuke in and ahead of this game was very important to us. He's a left-footed player, plays from the right. Very industrious, very energetic. He brings good quality from that side and brings us a bit of balance, which was a key thing. So we're delighted that we've managed to get that one done so quickly. And a lot of praise to the recruitment team in making sure we got that over the line. He's available and obviously Makhanya is available as well. He flew out this morning on his own because he had to be in London to get his visa rubber stamped."
McInnes added: "It's great that he's available because it does ease the pressure a wee bit. Obviously Ben's injury was far from ideal for the boy, but hopefully it's only a three or four week injury. He'll be back in no time, but great to have Makhanya with us yet. Will Daisuke and Olwethu feature? We need to weigh up everything with that. It is just making sure we're fair to both lads. They're here if called upon."
Raskin available despite transfer talk
Nico Raskin has also flown out to Bialystok, and McInnes confirmed he is prepared to play the Belgian World Cup star despite the possibility of a big-money departure.
McInnes said: "There's obviously been a lot of chat about Nico potentially moving. But until a bid's accepted that suits everybody then he's fit and available for us. And if he plays anything like he's trained the last three or four days, he's definitely got something to offer. It's going to be a tough game tomorrow. Jagiellonia are a team who need respect. They just missed out on a Champions League spot. We will have to play well over two legs to qualify."
