Rangers linked with shock move for another striker as £8.5m Deadline Day transfer reported
The Ivory Coast international could make the move from Stade Remis in France’s Ligue 2 before the summer window closes.
It looks set to be a busy transfer Deadline Day at Ibrox with Rangers fans expecting significant strengthening of the first team following their sub par start to the 2025/25 season.
Russell Martin’s side were eliminated from the Champions League in humiliating fashion, losing 9-1 on aggregate to Club Brugge, and have yet to win a Scottish Premiership match, drawing four from four including Sunday’s Old Firm Derby with Celtic which ended 0-0. It is set to be anything but quiet at Ibrox stadium today with the window set to slam shut at 11pm.
Russel Martin has already brought 13 new faces to the first team picture this summer with former Aberdeen striker Bojan Miovski the most recent following his £2.8m arrival from Spanish outfit Girona on Saturday. Despite landing a prime transfer target in the striker department, Rangers are now being linked with a blockbuster move for another forward.
Rangers could make £8.5m move for Ivory Coast striker on transfer Deadline Day
The report comes from Africafoot which says Rangers could move for Stade Remis striker Oumar Diakite. A fee of £8.5 million is being touted by the outlet.
It is also claimed that the Ligue 2 outfit would demand a 15 percent sell on clause on top of that already significant transfer fee. German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt and Crystal Palace of the English Premier League have also been linked with the 21-year old in this transfer window.
The report claims: “Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell is said to have begun serious discussions with the Stade de Reims board.” Diakite is under contract until 2028 with the French club so they are in a position to hold out for the significant fee which has been reported.
Who is Oumar Diakite? Ivory Coast international linked with transfer Deadline Day move to Rangers
Oumar Diakite is an Ivory Coast international who, at just 21-years of age, already has 21 caps and five international goals for the Elephants. He began his playing career with ASEC Mimosas in his homeland before being snapped up by Austrian giants Red Bull Salzburg as a teenager.
He spent two seasons on loan with Austrian second tier outfit FC Liefering where he scored 12 goals in 35 appearances during the 2022/23 seasons. Despite that, he never made a first team appearance for Salzburg.
In June 2023 he was signed by Reims on a five year contract and was a regular in their side during the past two seasons in Ligue 1, scoring nine goals in 61 games. He couldn’t save them from relegation though and, if he doesn’t get a move away, will play out the 2025/26 campaign in French football’s second tier.
Generally considered a striker, Diakite is also understood to be comfortable playing in attacking midfield roles. One thing is for certain, if Rangers can get this deal done he certainly has the potential to form a promising attacking partnership with Miovski for the Gers this season and beyond.