Rangers locked in fierce transfer war to snatch Serie A star winger amidst English and European giants’ pursuit

Rangers are actively pursuing new talent to strengthen their squad for the upcoming season, with a particular emphasis on bolstering their options on the wing. Their latest target is Samuel Ballet, a 24-year-old Swiss winger currently contracted to Como in Serie A. Ballet recently spent a season on loan at FC Zurich, where he made a notable impact by scoring three goals and assisting two others in 28 appearances.

FC Zurich had hoped to retain Ballet for another loan spell, but Como, led by former Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas, appear more interested in selling the player outright. This shift in stance from Como means Zurich face an uphill battle to keep Ballet, with a further loan move now considered unlikely.

According to reports from Blick Sports, Rangers officials have entered serious discussions with Como regarding a potential transfer for Ballet. The Scottish side faces competition, as both English Championship club Norwich and Turkish side Trabzonspor are also said to be monitoring the situation closely. Ballet, who has previously played for Young Boys, FC Wil, and Winterthur, only joined Como in January 2024 before being loaned out to Zurich after appearing just three times during Como’s successful promotion campaign from Serie B.

Ballet is scheduled to return to Como for pre-season training on July 10, unless a transfer materializes before then. His contract with the Italian club runs until 2027, but Como have been busy strengthening their wide positions this summer, with links to players such as Celtic’s Nicolas Kuhn suggesting they could be open to letting Ballet move on.

For Rangers, reinforcing the wings remains a high priority, especially after the departure of Vaclav Cerny to Wolfsburg. New manager Russell Martin is reportedly eager to add quality to this area of the squad. The club had also shown interest in Kwame Poku, but he ultimately opted to join QPR last week.

In addition to their pursuit of Ballet, Rangers are also tracking midfielder Metinho, who spent the previous season at Basel. SunSport reported exclusively that Rangers are preparing a move to sign Metinho from French side Troyes, further underlining their intent to revamp the squad ahead of the new campaign.