Former Hillsborough assistant Chris Powell reckons Gassama would have cost much more under normal circumstances
Djeidi Gassama of Rangers takes on Lukas Cerv of Viktoria Plzen
Former Sheffield Wednesday coach Chris Powell insists Rangers got Djeidi Gassama for an absolute song thanks to the Owls’ financial plight.
Gassama made the move from Hillsborough to Ibrox this summer for just £2.2million. And he’s already made a massive contribution which could see that fee repaid almost 20 times over.
The 21-year-old has hit key goals in both of Gers’ Champions League qualifiers so far against Panathinaikos and Viktoria Plzen respectively. Only Club Brugge stand between them and the league phase of the competition, which brings £40 million in prize money.
Wednesday are i the grip of a financial crisis with fans desperate for owner Dejphon Chansiri to sell up and relieve the pressure.
Players are being sold to pay the wages and as a result, Powell reckons Gassama went for much, much less than he would have under normal circumstances.
“They’ve sold a couple of players, under value,” he told the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast. “Definitely a young boy has gone to Rangers, Gassama, exceptional player, sold to pay the wages. Another player went.
“There’s the young goalkeeper, Pierce Charles (also linked with Rangers), I think he is another asset who might go. They’ve had money from the Premier League, their share. So they’ve been able to just settle a few debts. But if it’s not sold and he’s not funding it, how do you carry on?”
Pierce Charles in action for Sheffield Wednesday(Image: Getty Images)
As for Charles, the Telegraph claims Rangers and West Ham walked away from a deal.
The Ibrox club reportedly launched a £1million bid along with the Hammers, but bafflingly neither received a response so have moved on.
And that could leave the path clear for Strasbourg, who are interested in doing a deal for the Northern Ireland international.
Meanwhile, Robbie Fraser has opened up on his Ibrox exit.
The defender has joined Neil Lennon’s Dunfermline on a three-year deal after spending 16 years with Rangers.
But he admitted a taste of first team football out on loan at Livingston made him want it every week rather than filling out Russell Martin’s squad.
He said: “It’s not easy leaving somewhere you’ve been for so long. Being there that long, it was my home for 16 years. That’s a long, long time but I’m at a stage in my career where I’ve come out of that younger phase. I want to come out and get games, I want to show that I’m more than capable of holding my own.
“Getting that little taster for six months, it’s made me real enthusiastic to come out and show who I am and what I can be. I’m at a great place now. Great club, great people in it. Glad to meet some of them so far and I can’t wait to get on with the boys now and train on the pitch.”