Rangers fear they will be priced out of any attempted move to lure Vaclav Cerny back to Glasgow this summer, according to Record Sport. The Ibrox club have been exploring the possibility of striking a deal with Besiktas for the 28-year-old, 12 months after Cerny sealed a €5 million move to the Turkish giants.
Cerny's Stance and Contract Situation
The Czech international initially hoped to remain in Scotland after enjoying a season-long loan deal from German outfit Wolfsburg. However, his chances of staying put hit the skids when former sporting director Kevin Thelwell and sacked boss Russell Martin drew up a list of alternative targets during last summer's transfer window. Rangers now regard that decision as one of many missteps made in the transfer market over the last 12 months and have made enquiries behind the scenes to discover how costly it would be to correct in the current window.
While the winger is believed to be open to the idea, his bosses at Besiktas are in no rush to lose him, despite targeting some big-money attacking recruits who are likely to push Cerny down the pecking order in the new season. Belgian international Leandro Trossard has already signed a £17 million switch from English champions Arsenal after returning from the World Cup with Leicester City, and the club have been strongly linked with another move for Ghana wide man Abdul Fatawu.
Financial Constraints for Rangers
Cerny has three years left on his current contract in Istanbul, which is believed to be worth around £45,000 per week. That means Rangers would struggle to compete in wages even if Besiktas decide to make Cerny available on a loan deal at any point over the coming weeks. Barring an unexpected and major change in circumstances, he is unlikely to be a viable target for new boss Derek McInnes.
McInnes, meanwhile, is pushing on with his own rebuilding plans, and it is expected that attacking and creative upgrades will be high among his priorities between now and the end of August. The Ibrox club have expressed serious interest in Tromso midfielder Jens Hjerto-Dahl but face stiff competition for the highly rated Norway Under-21 international. Reports claim a rival £5.5 million offer from Cardiff City has been knocked back while Tromso stick to their guns by holding out for a £7.5 million asking price.
Competition for Alternative Targets
Tromso sports director Lars Petter Kraemer-Andressen said: "There have been negotiations over the past week. We'll see what happens, it could take a while. Several clubs are interested, but a lot has to fall into place for something to happen. If he's going to move on, it has to be a club Jens wants to go to and we also have pretty high expectations for the price."
