RANGERS said goodbye to several long serving first team stars a year ago.
But barely a year on, two of them are facing uncertain futures at the SAME club.
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Borna Barisic and John Lundstram were two of the big names who left Rangers at the end of the 2023/24 season.
The high profile duo were among several stars who became free agents when their contracts at Ibrox expired.
Neither player had long to wait to find a new club and they both ended up in the same place.
Barisic and Lundstram both signed for Turkish Super Lig giants Trabzonspor.
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Both players penned three-year contracts with the club.
An inconsistent season saw Trabzonspor start poorly both domestically and on the continent, missing out on group stage European football despite getting qualifying cracks at both the Europa League and Conference League.
Things improved as the campaign went on, with the club eventually finishing 7th and also reaching the final of the Turkish Cup.
The club went through three permanent managers over the course of the season, with Faith Tekke – a 2008 Uefa Cup final foe of Rangers’ – the man currently at the helm.
Former Zenit Saint Petersburg striker Tekke has some big decisions to make this summer.
That’s because according to various Turkish reports, including from Gunaydin, he will have to part with SEVEN first team players.
Turkish Super Lig rules allow clubs a maximum of 12 foreign players in their squad.
Including players returning on loan, Trabzonspor have 14 on their books.
Boss Tekke is expected to sign five overseas players this summer, meaning the club will have to move seven foreign players on in the transfer window in what’s been termed a ‘foreign quota crisis.’
Both Barisic and Lundstram could be part of the upcoming cull.
Croatia left-back Barisic’s time in Turkey has been nothing short of a nightmare.
He barely kicked a ball and was sent out on loan to Spain with Leganes in January.
But he suffered a horror injury on his debut and his season was over.
Now according to the reports in Turkey, Barisic’s contract could be TERMINATED by Trabzonspor.
It’s claimed talks to rip up his deal are underway.
Lundstram, meanwhile, recovered from a slow start to life to enjoy a relatively solid season.
He earned the respect of the Trabzonspor fans after filling-in at centre-back for a large part of the season.
But Turkish media say that Lundstram’s AGE could go against him as the club decides which players to move on.
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The midfielder has only just turned 31 but that makes him one of the oldest foreign players in the squad.
Ex-Man City star Stefan Savic, 34, Edin Visca, 35, and 36-year old Anthony Nwakaeme are the other three names listed as being ‘likely’ candidates to be sold this summer.
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