Rangers ‘given transfer go-ahead’ to sign Antwerp ace William Pacho – but Monaco also tracking Ecuador star
RANGERS have been given the go-ahead to make a bid for Antwerp defender William Pacho after his club’s general manager admitted they were looking for replacements.
The Ibrox side have sent scouts on a number of occasions to look at the powerful 21-year-old, who has impressed this season in the Belgian League.
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They are reportedly battling it out with Monaco for the Ecuadorian Under 20s stopper, who signed a five-year deal with Antwerp a year ago.
And Antwerp’s general manager Sven Jaecques has admitted for the first time they have contingency plans if they sell Pacho this month.
Jaecques said: “Yes, there have been a huge number of scouts in our stands this year.
“With regards to Pacho, we are not keen to sell him or any main player for that matter.
“But if a transfer bid is offered that we cannot refuse – and I must stress that we haven’t received a suitable one yet – we have to be ready with a replacement for him.”
Pacho has started 17 of Antwerp’s 18 league games this season and has helped them up to third in the table after a fine first half of their season.
The news came as Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos emerged as a shock target for an ambitious Mexican side.
The Ibrox striker is out of contract at the end of the season and his six-year stint at Ibrox seems set to be coming to an end either in this transfer window or at the end of the season.
His value has dropped considerably and he’s attracted the attention of Tigres, who have made him their main backup plan if they can’t persuade Eintracht Frankfurt to lower their £8 million asking price for Santos Borre.
Borre – who scored the equaliser for the Germans in the Europa League Final in May as they bounced back to beat Rangers in a penalty shoot-out in Seville – has been told he can leave the Bundesliga side if any club meets Eintracht’s asking price.
Tigres want a new striker to eventually replace French veteran striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, who is now 37.
And manager Diego Cocca has indicated he sees Morelos as the perfect alternative if they are unable to land Santos Borre.
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