Rangers have been left frustrated in the transfer market after PSV Eindhoven blocked a £7million deal for winger Couhaib Driouech, with a disagreement over the player’s fitness at the centre of the collapse.
The Ibrox club had agreed terms with the Dutch giants to bring the Moroccan winger to Glasgow, but PSV chief Marcel Brands has now confirmed the deal is dead in the water, pointing directly to concerns about Driouech’s physical condition as the reason the transfer fell through.
It is understood the two clubs could not reach an agreement over the medical side of the deal, with Rangers and PSV holding different views on the state of the winger’s fitness. That kind of dispute is not unheard of in football transfers, but it is a bitter blow for Rangers who had clearly identified Driouech as a key target heading into the window.
Brands spoke openly about why PSV decided to walk away, making clear that the Dutch club were not comfortable proceeding once the injury disagreement came to light. From PSV’s perspective, protecting the club’s interests around a £7million asset was the priority, and they were unwilling to push the deal through with questions still hanging over it.
For Rangers, it is another transfer saga that has ended in disappointment. The club had been working to strengthen the squad and a wide player of Driouech’s quality would have been a significant addition. The 23-year-old has been a regular fixture in the Eredivisie and has shown he can perform at a high level, making him an attractive option for a Rangers side looking to compete domestically and in Europe.
Driouech himself had reportedly been keen on the move, which makes the collapse even more frustrating from a Rangers standpoint. When a player is on board and the fee has been agreed, having the whole thing unravel over a medical dispute is a tough pill to swallow.
The situation now leaves Rangers back at square one in their pursuit of wide reinforcements, with the transfer window moving on and alternatives needing to be found. Whether the club goes back in for another target or tries to revive talks with PSV at a later stage remains to be seen, but for now the Driouech chapter appears to be firmly closed.
PSV, meanwhile, will hold onto a player who has been a useful part of their setup, at least until any fresh interest comes in from elsewhere. With Driouech still under contract at the Philips Stadion, the Dutch side are in no rush to offload him unless the right deal comes along on their terms.