Rangers have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Bordeaux striker Josh Maja, as the Ligue 2 side have the option to extend his deal if they are promoted at the end of the season, according to a report from Football Insider.
Which strikers have been linked with a move to Rangers?
Football Insider reported back in February that Rangers have a genuine interest in Maja, having previously held talks about signing him way back in 2020, when Alfredo Morelos came close to leaving Ibrox, however he is not their only transfer target. Swansea City forward Joel Piroe has also been scouted by the Light Blues for a number of weeks, having impressed in the second tier of English football, scoring 13 league goals so far this season.
The Gers' need to bring in a new striker may be accelerated by the fact that Morelos is now edging closer to an exit this summer, with the club still yet to offer the Colombian a contract extension to extend his stay beyond the end of the season.
As per a new report from Football Insider, Michael Beale is still interested in Maja, with the manager keen to bolster his frontline in the next transfer window, however a deal may be more difficult to orchestrate than first anticipated. The 24-year-old's contract is set to expire at the end of the season, meaning he should be available on a free transfer, however this will only be the case if Bordeaux fail to achieve promotion, as they retain a clause to extend his deal if they go up.
The Gers, as well as other unnamed teams in the Championship and across Europe, are now waiting to see how the situation develops, with Bordeaux currently on course to get promoted to Ligue 1, sitting inside the automatic promotion places.
Would Josh Maja be a good signing for Rangers?
Hailed as "superb" by members of the media, the London-born marksman has been vital for Bordeaux in their push for promotion, weighing in with 12 goals and four assists in 28 appearances. The former Sunderland man is at the right age to be a long-term success for Rangers, however he did struggle in a recent spell in the Championship, scoring just once in 15 league appearances for Stoke City.
Even so, the £10k-per-week Nigerian would be a low-risk signing on a free transfer, and his goal record this season indicates he could be a decent replacement for Morelos.
However, given the Colombian's fantastic goal-scoring record for the Light Blues, netting 122 goals in 262 appearances for the club, offering him a new deal should still be the priority before the summer.