Rangers ‘negotiation’ to sign former star ongoing as late summer transfer deal for fan favourite turns possibility
Rangers are reportedly in negotiations with Turkish giants Besiktas over a potential return for Czech winger Vaclav Cerny, reviving one of the more romantic transfer storylines of the club’s closing summer business as the September 3 deadline approaches.
Cerny, 28, earned genuine fan favourite status at Ibrox during a loan spell from Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg in the 2024/25 season, playing under both Philippe Clement and, later, Barry Ferguson during his time at the club. His numbers that season were eye-catching by any Scottish Premiership standard: 18 goals and a further nine assists across all competitions, output that made him one of the standout performers in a difficult campaign for the club.
Despite that productivity, Rangers opted not to pursue a permanent deal at the time, a decision complicated by ownership changes at the club and Russell Martin’s arrival to replace interim boss Barry Ferguson in the dugout. Cerny instead left for Turkish football, joining Besiktas on a three-year deal the following September
According to reporting from the Daily Record, Rangers have approached Besiktas directly with a view to bringing Cerny back to Glasgow permanently ahead of the deadline — talks that Turkish outlet reporting has since confirmed are genuinely underway, even if not yet close to an agreed structure. Rangers are “actively seeking” a return for the winger, but a deal hinges on the two clubs first agreeing his valuation, which remains the primary sticking point
Football Insider reported that Besiktas have shown no willingness to lower their roughly £8 million valuation for Cerny, with his wages also presenting a significant complication for Rangers’ budget. Sources close to the situation described the full package required to complete a deal as a “big stretch” for Rangers financially, even with the appeal of a sentimental reunion factored in.
One development could work in Rangers’ favour. The Turkish Football Federation has introduced a new policy this season capping clubs at a maximum of 10 foreign players per squad, with a requirement that at least four of those players be under 23. Cerny, as a foreign player over the age of 23, currently occupies one of Besiktas’ more restricted squad slots — a regulatory pressure point that could make the Turkish club more amenable to a sale than they might otherwise be.
Turkish football journalist Sercan Dikme offered insight into Besiktas’ broader squad planning around the situation, indicating the club intends to make a central midfield signing regardless, with a significant budget set aside for it. According to Dikme, negotiations are ongoing with Rangers over Cerny, and if he departs, Besiktas plan to bring in a replacement winger from outside their foreign-player quota. Contingency planning also extends to defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, with Besiktas reportedly preparing a quota-friendly defensive midfield signing under-23 should he also leave
The pursuit hasn’t been a smooth, linear one. Earlier reporting from Turkish outlet Orta Cizgi had suggested the reunion had “hit the rocks,” claiming Cerny himself wasn’t interested in a return to Ibrox this summer despite Rangers’ interest emerging as what was then described as a shock late move. That report appeared to significantly dent hopes of a reunion at the time.
Since then, though, talks have evidently continued and progressed to the point of active negotiation between the two clubs — suggesting either that Cerny’s own stance has shifted, or that the earlier report reflected only one moment in a fluid, ongoing situation rather than a definitive rejection
The Cerny pursuit sits within a broader context of Rangers actively hunting for attacking reinforcements as the deadline nears. Manager Derek McInnes has already added wingers Daisuke Yokota and Kim Min-su to his squad this summer but has been open about the fact that further reinforcements are still needed. Alongside the Cerny talks, Rangers have also been pursuing Brighton’s Amario Cozier-Duberry, though two bids for the England youth international have already been rejected by the Premier League club, opening the door for Championship side Wolves to potentially beat Rangers to a deal.
Rangers have also explored a loan move for Lens striker Rayan Fofana as a response to Youssef Chermiti’s injury, though — as reported separately — that pursuit appears to have fallen away, with the 20-year-old opting instead for a move to Le Havre.
With the clock now ticking down toward September 3, Rangers face a familiar late-window dilemma: multiple targets in motion simultaneously — Cerny, Cozier-Duberry, and further business potentially still to come — with limited financial headroom to complete all of them. The Cerny reunion, in particular, carries obvious emotional appeal given his popularity with supporters and his proven scoring record in Scottish football, but Besiktas’ valuation and his reported wage demands mean Rangers will need to find room within an already stretched summer budget if the deal is to be completed before the window shuts.
For now, the situation remains fluid: genuine talks are underway, a regulatory quirk in Turkish football may yet nudge Besiktas toward a sale, but the financial gap between the two clubs’ positions has not yet been closed. Whether sentiment and circumstance combine to bring Cerny back to Ibrox, or whether Rangers are ultimately priced out of a reunion fans have been hoping for since his departure, should become clear in the days remaining before the deadline passes.
