Suitor for Rangers star sends cryptic transfer message as excitement runs high with double-barrelled plan in motion

Trabzonspor boss Abdullah Avci has revealed his club are still in the market for another midfielder and forward player this summer amid heightened transfer speculation over a potential swoop for wantway Rangers man Todd Cantwell.

The ex-Norwich City playmaker finds himself completely out of the first-team picture at present after submitting a transfer request last month, even though he was spotted training separately away from the senior squad last week. The 26-year-old was banished to the club’s B-team and failed to earn a recall of Philippe Clement’s pool for Saturday’s 2-1 Premiership win over Motherwell.

Reports emerged in Turkey suggesting Cantwell was in line for a move to Trabzonspor after he met with a high-powered delegation from the club in Glasgow to discuss an impending transfer exit out of Ibrox before the end of the window. However, Clement confessed he had not heard about any discussion over an imminent departure in his pre-match press conference last Friday.

But Avci now appears to have hinted at a possible move for Cantwell. He confirmed: “We have a transfer plan for two more players. The chairman is very busy. So far, we have gone with good, balanced, and correct players. My excitement is very high, as in the championship year, and so is the team's. We hope that we will get better results as the transfers are made. Our priority is the forward, then maybe the midfielder. We will evaluate the process after that.”

It comes after Gers hero Alan Hutton was left convinced Clement needs to add “more experience” in the attacking midfield area as he raised concerns over whether Tom Lawrence is capable of filling the void left by Cantwell. With Ianis Hagi also set to depart the club, it leaves Clement short of options in the No.10 role.

Assessing the Gers transfer business to date, Hutton told Football Insider: “In midfield they need a bit more experience. Robin Propper coming in is a good signing, the FC Twente captain, he’ll be the replacement for Goldson. The rest depends on if anyone leaves. You look at the Cantwell situation, if he was to go, I think Tom Lawrence has come in and done really well. He had a great pre-season but can he manage to play every single game? It’s going to be difficult for him.”

Left-back Borna Barisic and midfielder John Lundstram both joined Trabzonspor at the end of their Rangers contracts earlier this summer, while the Turks also had a bid knocked back for captain James Tavernier. In addition, former Burnley and Manchester United loanee Wout Weghorst has also been strongly linked as their striking target.