Djeidi Gassama’s transfer from Sheffield Wednesday to Rangers is almost complete, much to the delight of the new man in the Ibrox dugout Russell Martin.
With Sheffield Wednesday stuck in another cycle of uncertainty, few at Hillsborough will blame the former Paris Saint-Germain starlet for seizing a fresh start with both hands.
Djeidi Gassama has agreed a move to Rangers for a fee reported to be £2.5 million.
The winger is the first of what could be a series of departures. Talismanic head coach Danny Rohl is also expected to go even if the Leicester City job appears to have moved out of reach – ex-QPR boss Marti Cifuentes is heading to the King Power instead – while The Owls currently have only 19 senior players at their disposal right now.
Russell Martin, the Rangers manager, spoke for the first time about Gassama’s impending switch north of the border on Friday meanwhile.
Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty ImagesRussell Martin explains why Rangers want Sheffield Wednesday winger Djeidi Gassama
Former Swansea City and Southampton chief Martin, who replaces Philippe Clement on a permanent basis at the Glasgow giants, believes that Gassama will bring a different dimension to Rangers’ forward line.
And while it was reported earlier in the day that despised owner Dejphon Chansiri had not signed off on the Gassama deal at that stage, Martin is confident that Rangers have done all they need to do.
“I think it’s all done our end,” Martin says. “I think with Sheffield Wednesday and the difficulties they are experiencing, [things are] tough for them.”
“We’re waiting on their end to be sorted, but I think we fully expect Gas to be our player. Hopefully very soon.
“He’s different to what we’ve got. I think we need a point of difference in the squad. We need a few and he’ll be one of them, hopefully.”
Still only 21, Gassama joined Sheffield Wednesday from newly-crowned European champions PSG during the summer of 2023.
He scored eight goals in 47 appearances last season. Rangers should benefit not only from his ever-improving end-product but also the flexibility he brings to Ibrox. Gassama played on the left, on the right and occasionally through the middle under Rohl.
On a far more positive note, there are suggestions that the Chansiri era is nearing its end at Sheffield Wednesday.
BBC Sheffield reporter Rob Staton claims this afternoon that ‘an agreement has been reached with at least one prospective buyer for Sheffield Wednesday’.
And while nothing has been formally signed just yet, Staton believes that ‘the process is moving along’.
Anthony Musaba heading to Turkey as Gassama leaves for Ibrox
Unfortunately, so is the sale of Djeidi Gassama – one of the few bright sparks in a poor Wednesday season – to Rangers.
Former West Brom, Sunderland and Southampton striker Don Goodman believes Wednesday are losing a highly-talented forward.
Gassama’s fellow winger Anthony Musaba is expected to join Samsunspor in Turkey, meanwhile, as Chansiri’s poisonous influence is felt once more.
“Djeidi Gassama has progressed there’s no doubt,” Goodman tells Football League World as Gassama and Musaba hurtle towards the exit.
“[And] Musaba is a player that I really like. Really quick, really dynamic, really direct – again young enough for a club to maybe knock the rough edges off and polish a really good player up.
“But yeah, it was inevitable that given the situation that Sheffield Wednesday are in that they are going to lose some of their best players, particularly the ones they can gain a fee for.
“The club’s a mess, finances are a mess and I suppose they need to rake in every penny they can. Unfortunately, it’s having a really negative impact”