Rangers could be closer to adding Juan Diego Alegria to their squad than was first realised after the player’s own father has claimed that a deal is all but done.
El delantero ibaguereño Juan Diego Alegría será, en un altísimo porcentaje, nuevo jugador del @RangersFC de Escocia. Es prácticamente un hecho. Mínimos detalles lo separan del club dirigido por Steven Gerrard. Honka negocia su pase. pic.twitter.com/nqUslTPfWj
— Mario Alejandro Rodríguez (@donalhejor) December 8, 2020
The initial rumours claimed that a loan to buy option for the 18-year old striker was being arranged and further reports from the players homeland now suggest that the transfer is as much as 90% done.
Alegria would be the second Colombian to take the less travelled path of arriving in Scottish football via Finland with the youth international only moving to Europe in September, signing for FC Honka.
Colombian journalist Mario Alejandro Rodriguez spoke to the player’s father who confirmed that the deal is a formality:
“The Ibaguerean forward Juan Diego Alegría will be, in a very high percentage, a new player of Rangers from Scotland. It is practically a fact. Minimal details separate him from the club led by Steven Gerrard”.
Alonso Alegria – the player’s father – revealed just how close a move is when he told Rodriguez:
“At this moment we would be 90% in that Rangers is Juan’s next team.”
Respected South American football journalist and Colombian specialist, Simon Edwards, gave an insight into how the deal would be structured with Rangers buying 80% of the player’s rights, something rarely seen in the Scottish game, with his family retaining 20%.
“In this moment we are 90% sure that Rangers will be the next team for Juan” Juan Alegria’s father Alonso.
Honka FC own 60% of the player rights while the player and his family have 40%.
Rangers would buy 80% – the 60% owned by the club and the player’s family would retain 20%. https://t.co/0JmBpjcKky
— Simon Edwards (@SimonEdwardsSAF) December 8, 2020
We know little about Alegria other than he is a youth international for Colombia and that he is a player of some potential, does this stop us from being anything other than hugely excited? Of course it doesn’t!